Surgery
by Holly Rose E
Summary: CHAPTER ELEVEN! Being a teenager in High School is hard enough. Being a mutant teenager in High School that is fighting to protect those that hate them, that's mind-numbing and emotionally shattering.
1. Chapter One: Lilies

Surgery  
  
By: Holly Rose E  
  
Summary: High school is hard enough, but having to be a mutant also? And have to protect people that hate you? They should give away medals for that type of thing. OCs needed.  
  
Rating: PG-13... for now...  
  
A/N: Hmph. I've fallen ill, that's it. Yes, sick and delusional for my own need of OCs. BWAHAHA! The chapter titles will be also be Song Titles, and the band/person who wrote them will be next to that little '~' line. Enjoy, minions.  
  
*****  
  
Chapter One: Lilies  
  
Pushing myself farther  
  
Every damn time  
  
Suffocating myself with lily pods  
  
Waiting for peace sublime  
  
~Holly Rose E (go me *rolls eyes*)  
  
*****  
  
"Hell . . . I'm going straight to hell," she muttered, sniffling over her reflection.  
  
Her hands were torn and bloodied from the rocks as she clawed and slammed her fists in the ground in blind fury and panic. Her clothes, new yet already worn out, were staining a dark brown, stiffening from the fluid.  
  
She gave a cry of pain, clutching at her head, wishing furiously for it to just go away and leave her alone.  
  
_[kill them, kill them, you know they deserve it. those bastards who they think are so great. egotistical pricks. make them pay, nobody is more deserving or greater than anybody else]._  
  
Tears streamed down her cheeks from between her fingers, trying in vain to escape before falling ruthlessly to the ground, causing little splatters in the cherry pools.  
  
She stripped herself of her shirt and pants, sitting there in her underwear, she began to wash them, still sobbing quietly yet allowing no more tears to fall.  
  
Crying was for the weak. She lived and breathed as a strong person. She wouldn't fall to the devious plans of the innocent.  
  
As she washed, the stains were becoming less and less as her hands became more raw as she scrubbed harder and harder. The little river was beginning to look as though foaming from the faint pink mist, looking like clouds during a sunset bubbling from her clothes.  
  
She put her clothes back on, dripping wet and she sat shivering, still trying to wipe away the blood from her body.  
  
Violated and angry by this presence inside of her, one she knew she could never escape, she saw the images flash before her eyes. The blood of others dripped from her hair, already having matted it down and seeping in through her skin's pores, forever leaving its mark upon her already damned soul.  
  
[a woman screaming, hands covering her head]  
  
[a child awaking, rubbing the sleep from its eyes]  
  
[a father with a pistol, screaming in outrage from the intrusion]  
  
She bent over, coughing mercilessly, spitting out the bitter taste in her mouth, wishing for God to just strike her down already.  
  
A crow landed next to her, cocking its head from side to side.  
  
The girl turned her head, spat one last time and sat back on her hands. "What are you looking at?"  
  
She smirked but froze when the bird began to change shape, forming itself into a woman with blue skin and flaming red hair.  
  
"Sweet Mary, Jesus and Joseph," she muttered, before flipping back onto her feet, putting herself into a defensive crouch.  
  
"Did you do that?" The intruding woman asked, pointing into the general direction of where the nearest  
  
_[deserted]_  
  
town resided.  
  
The younger stood up straight, but still not letting her guard down.  
  
"And if I did?"  
  
"I can help you, if you want it. A place to feel like you're welcome and not be hated for what you're like. I'm sure you'll enjoy it."  
  
"I've been guaranteed a lot of things," she croaked out, balling her fists, "why should I believe you?"  
  
"Because I'm like you are. A mutant."  
  
"A demon."  
  
"Either way, I'm offering you security."  
  
"I'm so sure."  
  
"You wiped out an entire town by yourself, that's very impressive."  
  
"It wasn't me," she snapped, her incisors bared, a growl in the back of her throat rising menacingly.  
  
"Then who was it? And why were you the only one who survived?" The blue woman stepped forward, leering.  
  
The girl glared right back, jutting her jaw out into the air.  
  
[a belt, a flash of lightning, a scream tearing from her throat, the blood gushing, everything staining a brilliant vermilion]  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"My name is Mystique. Are you coming or not?"  
  
She frowned, biting her lip, careful not to puncture herself. Her fingernails, black and looking as if they were decaying, pinching into her skin. She had nothing here, nothing much anywhere really - some treasures scattered from place to place, but what would she do alone? She couldn't make a living, that was for sure and that meant no way for her to fend for herself.  
  
Stuck.  
  
She was stuck to trust this stranger.  
  
Cursing under her breath, she nodded.  
  
"What is your name?"  
  
"Neona Shields."  
  
Mystique smirked and changed back into a bird and took off, flying away, a twinkle flashing in her black eyes.  
  
Neona growled, mentally berating herself before stretching her own wings and lifting off the ground and flying after her, above the clouds so as not to be seen.  
  
*****  
  
I own Neona. Everything dealing with X-Men Evolution belongs to Marvel/Warner Bros/etc.  
  
Hmm, boring, no? So, yes, do review -comments and critique are something I thrive off of. Have a wonderful life, and I hope you all prosper nicely.  
  
-Holly  
  
P.S. If you would like your character to be in this, EMAIL ME AT kittie45@sbcglobal.net SO I CAN SEND YOU THE FORM TO FILL OUT!!  
  
P.P.S. The OCs (as seeing as the deadline isn't until the 6th) won't be making an appearance until the third chapter. Yes, I'm going to make you all "suffer" and wait for the second. Evil me. Review please, constructive criticism welcomed with open arms! Pointless flames will be printed out and used to make my sister's final meal.  
  
Thanks You's To: Im4evagt (I gotta ask, what does that stand for?), EmeraldKnight1; and Xenomorph666 for submitting! It means much to me! 


	2. Chapter Two: When I Am Queen

THANK YOU TO ALL HAVE SUBMITTED A CHARACTER VIA EMAIL! Enjoy a bland chapter.  
  
~Surgery~ Chapter Two: When I Am Queen  
  
When I am queen on royal throne  
  
Made out of parts of broken bones  
  
Of all the devils I have known  
  
That sucked the angels dry  
  
When I am queen I'll have my way  
  
I'll make it drowning dollie day  
  
And all the tears that we have cried  
  
Will suck back in our eyes  
  
-Jack Off Jill  
  
*****  
  
"My name is Iningo Montoya, you killed my father... prepare to die." [1]  
  
"Hoho! You cannot defeat me!"  
  
"That isn't the line!"  
  
"I can't remember it!"  
  
Toad slouched down, falling into the permanent-like crevasse in his beanbag chair. Pietro stood over him, standing as he usually did, chest puffed out and arms crossed over.  
  
"Well, use that fast brain of yours, yo, and remember! We ain't got nothin' to do around this joint, man."  
  
"Boss Lady said she'd only be gone a little time, remember?"  
  
"Mystique says a lot of things, I'm getting somethin' to eat," and with that, Todd hopped away towards the kitchen.  
  
Wanda looked up from her book briefly as a rush of cool air went past her and was gone as soon as it came, the door opening and slamming shut just as fast. Sighing contentedly, she snuggled further into the couch, listening to Lance strum on his guitar mindlessly.  
  
Fred was in the kitchen (it was, after all, nearing dinner-time and he was on meal duty that week) and from afar, the two occupants of the living room heard some crashes and muttered streams of curse words and other things.  
  
The television was broken, the jeep had no gas and the X-Men had been even more oblivious to their  
  
_[lowly]_  
  
existences, which suited them just fine.  
  
Though, Rogue had been over to visit a few times within the past few months and had made fast friends with the Scarlet Witch.  
  
Lance closed his eyes and lazily ran his thumb over a string, not even hard enough to make a single chord. Biting his lip, all he could see was that last fight with the X-Men over at the school. Kitty had called him a 'hood and as much as it hurt him to have finally been informed  
  
_[spat at]_  
  
of this, he felt relieved.  
  
Pietro came back in a few minutes later, grinning in a miserable way. "News flash!"  
  
Fred hobbled into the living room right behind Todd, a spatula in hand and ingredients all over his shirt with the littler mutant chowing down on a barely-there sandwich.  
  
"Where's Boom-Boom?" Pietro asked, looking around, zipping everywhere before any of them could respond.  
  
"Upstairs," Lance began and the speed demon took off, banging open every door in a steady tempo succession.  
  
"PIETRO! YOU LITTLE PERV!"  
  
The white-haired mutant came back quickly, smirking supremely. "Found her in the shower."  
  
"What's the big deal, Pietro?" Lance sighed, suddenly wanting to go back to his playing.  
  
"Mystique's on her way. She's got a newbie with her," he said excitedly, "she told me to tell you guys so we could clear out a room for her,"  
  
"Her?" Wanda asked.  
  
"She said female," Pietro nodded, what color he had in his face still draining a little. It didn't matter to him, he was still used to Wanda being angry and violent, forever on a killing spree with one thing on her mind: revenge. He didn't believe he'd ever get used to this new one, no matter how nice it was.  
  
Wanda growled, "She better not be like Tabitha."  
  
"I don't think so, Mystique seemed really pleased with herself."  
  
"Did you see the new girl? What's she like?" Todd asked from his spot leaning against Wanda's bookcase.  
  
"No, I talked to her on her cell phone, said she was in that limo of hers. They were just outside of town, I'm pretty sure I saw them -."  
  
"What's that?" Lance asked, sniffing the air.  
  
"What's what?" Pietro said, glaring at being interrupted.  
  
"That smell - BLOB! The food's burning!"  
  
"Aw man!" Fred said running back into the kitchen, causing the house to shake.  
  
One of the pictures began to fall, but Pietro zipped over and caught it, while a pair of old jeans landed on Toad's head as did one of Pietro's shirt on Wanda.  
  
Wanda blanched and stood up quickly, causing the shirt to fall to the ground. She whirled around and pointed at Pietro, eyes flashing dangerously. "As soon as the new girl gets here, we're cleaning up!"  
  
Pietro froze and nodded numbly.  
  
Lance, however, was about to retort to that when Mystique stepped in with a cloaked figure behind her.  
  
Mystique's eyes scanned them all quickly, counting mentally. "BLOB!"  
  
Fred reappeared, his blonde hair a little ashy and a tiny food tray in his hand was smoking unforgivingly.  
  
"Hey, I didn't think you were coming back!" Tabitha called from upstairs, walking down the stairs in a snake-esque fashion.  
  
"Bam-Bam," Mystique said shortly, anger flaring. God knows what that girl had further down to her house.  
  
"We have a new recruit,"  
  
"Recruit?" A voice from under the hood asked, voice biting into the air. A pale hand with drew from the sleeve and pushed back the hood and the girl stared glaring at Mystique. "Recruit for what? A goddamn war? Is that why you're helping me? Because if you think I'll be some -."  
  
"It's not like that," Mystique interrupted, crossing her arms, "Now shut up."  
  
The girls dark eyes flashed red and she bit her lip, closing her eyes for a second, giving herself a little shake.  
  
"This is Neona Shields, The Pixie."  
  
Toad hopped up to her and held out a hand to introduce himself, "The name's Toad."  
  
"Toad." Neona replied flatly, not returning the handshake.  
  
"Todd Tolansky if you want to get serious," he cracked, grinning widely.  
  
She rose an eyebrow at his off-color appearance and the way he was crouched down abnormally. 'God, that looks uncomfortable,' she thought.  
  
"Pietro, at your service!" A white haired little punk had zoomed out of nowhere to be in front of her, shoving his face close to her own.  
  
She growled, baring her large fangs and snapped at him and he drew away quickly, a look of surprise splashed across his face before it simply melted away quickly.  
  
"Hey, the name's Boom-Boom!"  
  
"Her real name's Tabitha," Toad informed Neona.  
  
The blonde came down the stairs and grinned at her, giving her the thumbs up.  
  
Neona smirked, completely unhinged by the fact that they had yet to know about her own mutation and all they could see was her face.  
  
No color was in her skin and her dark, muddy brown eyes stared ruefully from their sunken pockets around at all of the sudden attention. There was a sliver of a scar upon her left cheek, but most of what she was decorated in was metal. Ten piercings in each ear, eight studs, one small hoop and a large dangling one that some had described to her as 'dream catchers'. In her right eyebrow was another stud, and a hoop in the middle of her bottom lip.  
  
"Nice of you to join our humble home of the Brotherhood!" Tabitha went on, leaning against the rail, already looking bored but keeping a keen eye on her.  
  
"Enthralling," Neona muttered, clenching and unclenching her fists beneath the long sleeves of the borrowed trench coat from Mystique.  
  
Her spine was tingling and she could feel a cramp forming in her wings, she desperately needed to stretch them.  
  
"I've got to get going, make some more pick-ups. I'll be back when I've got them all," Mystique said shortly, glaring around. "And clean up this damn place, it looks like a pig-sty!" She added, banging the door on her way out.  
  
"C'mon on, make yourself at home. Isn't much, but it can get pretty cozy," Todd began, grabbing her arm and leading her further into the wretched estate.  
  
"This is my snookums," he said, hopping over to a pretty girl with black and red hair cropped boyishly short, with a vest-like red shirt. She growled and moved her arm in his direction, a blue aura surrounded him and he flew back into a wall.  
  
Neona smirked to herself. 'Impressive'.  
  
"Wanda, Pietro's brother," Todd mumbled, rubbing his head.  
  
"And I'm the Blob!"  
  
Neona's right cheek gave a little tic and she turned her head as far as it would go and peered at the large boy behind her. 'Holy crap. Bet they won't be happy they got another mouth to feed.' She emitted a non- committal hum, and stared at the last boy.  
  
She looked over him quickly, deducing him to be the second tallest and most likely also the second strongest physically. He had lines already semi-etched into his face and his eyes shone amber with a fire that was building and building until it would nearly burst.  
  
"The name's Lance Alvers," he said standing up, putting his guitar down, "You can call me Avalanche though."  
  
"You make them?"  
  
"Geological control," he smirked.  
  
"I-got-super-speed-Todd's-an-amphibian-like-thief-Blob's-unmovable- Tabby-can-make-bombs-Mystique's-the-shape-shifter-and-Wanda's-got-witchy- powers-hence-her-nickname-what-about-y..." Pietro said, coming out of nowhere once again, but this time Neona was able to grab onto his throat with her hand, her fingernails digging slightly into his translucent skin.  
  
"Slow down," she ordered, before releasing him.  
  
"What can you do?" Wanda asked, trying to decide whether or not she liked someone other than herself beating up on her twin.  
  
Neona smirked and began to walk past them, until they were gathered in a semi-circle in front of her. She took off the coat in one fluid motion and cocked her head at the non-existent response she received.  
  
She was slender, skeletal even, but thin muscle was slightly apparent. However, when she finally spread her wings that protruded from right between her shoulder blades - her black wings with a dusty red underside - that had scars and even rips and tears in them to the entire length of their living room, some at least rose their brows. She was proud of her wings; they'd saved her life more times than she could count.  
  
She was dressed in fishnet stockings and a mini-leather skirt with little black shoes that could have been from the 1800s with its golden buckle and she faintly got the distinction she looked like a cheap prostitute. She bit her lip once more, biting into the sore spot she'd had since she was near ten. She had a choker that slightly resembled barbed wired chains and two other necklaces. One was a pendant, three little circles forming together into a diminished ruby stone, and one was a sword that ended up curving near the bottom with two eyes to make a snake. Her small form-fitting corset was black with red lining and a rose stitched underneath her right bosom. She crossed her arms, feeling more exposed than she had in a long time.  
  
Lance rolled his eyes, he could practically hear the drool from Pietro hitting the floor in a staccato, but she was far too ghoulish looking and besides, he still had Kitty to  
  
_[piss off]_  
  
worry about.  
  
He stepped forward, "Got any bags?"  
  
"Just the one on the porch."  
  
He rolled his eyes and swung open the door and paused upon hearing a shriek before retreating with her bag.  
  
Neona was crouched on the stairs, an arm resting lazily on a knee.  
  
The others were laughing at Toad who now had a black cat attached to his head and wouldn't let go or get away from him.  
  
"What the -? Hey, stupid cat!"  
  
"Bill!" Neona whispered gently and the cat immediately calmed down and strutted over to her, tail raised high and purring regally. He jumped onto her shoulders and she curled her wing to cradle him there. "He isn't stupid. And it isn't his fault that Toad there smells like a dead fish . . ." she paused a moment making a face to show whether or not she wanted to add something, before glancing at Todd, "No offense, I'm guessing it's just the mutation, right?"  
  
He smiled in return, nodding his head slightly.  
  
"I can deal with that," she nodded. Tucking a loose strand of brown hair behind her ear, she quirked her head. "You showin' me my room or what?"  
  
Lance nodded and walked past her, but not before Pietro grabbed him, "Play nice, Alvers," and zipped out back.  
  
"We'll go hang out later, Neona, alright?" Tabitha asked, before walking out the door with a wave of her hand.  
  
"I'll go make dinner again," Fred sighed and as he walked past, gave Bill a pat on the head who just gave a cat-smile in response with an extra burst on his purr.  
  
Lance continued his trek up the stairs and heard Neona follow closely behind him.  
  
He mentally counted all the rooms, even with two more people, they'd have to bunk up with someone. That, and they'd need more beds.  
  
'Great, just great.'  
  
"Something the matter?" a voice said icily as the door in front of him swung open and the bag was torn from his hands.  
  
"Just thinking what we're going to do with all these new recruits."  
  
"That's the second damn time I've been referred to as a recruit!" Neona flung her bag at her wall and whirled around, eyes flashing - literally - between the normal and a fiery red. She lunged at Lance and pulled him inside the room, slammed the door shut and flung him against it.  
  
Needless to say, Lance was a little shocked.  
  
"Look, the only reason I'm here is cause I'm sick of foster homes, got it? Now, I want things explained now, all right, tough guy?"  
  
He nodded and put his hands over her own and slightly massaged them to release him.  
  
"And you glance at my boobs one more time and I swear to god I'll make you sterile," she added, looking over her shoulder as she went to her bed, using her wing to scoop up her bag and bring it over to herself. She started to unpack, and Bill sat on the windowsill, blinking lazily at Lance.  
  
~End Chapter Two~  
  
*****  
  
Hmm. Still deciding whether or not I like it. Next chapter there WILL be a new character introduced, and from there on it should start picking up.  
  
DO NOT LEAVE A CHARACTER IN A REVIEW! You have no idea how upset it makes me, especially after I ask you to email for a form. *sigh* People.  
  
But yes, I would like some critique/comments for the actual chapter itself. I know that their character isn't really "in" but, hopefully it'll get better. Danke!  
  
Love and Peace,  
  
-Holly Rose E.  
  
P.S. [1] That is from "The Princess Bride". 


	3. Chapter Three: Let Me Go

AN: Only one character is introduced in this little chappy here, but I SWEAR that in the next chapter, all the new characters will have (at least) been mentioned. Okies? Okies.   
  
*****   
  
*Chapter Three: Let Me Go*  
  
We were such punk-ass kids but we knew everyone   
  
And who could see through such blazed-up bloodshot eyes   
  
There was a plan for us one day we'd realize   
  
~Good Charlotte  
  
*****   
  
"Like, has anyone seen my hairbrush? I can't find it!"   
  
"Yo, man, it was just a joke!"   
  
"I think it was in the wohnzimmer, Kitty."   
  
"Well, it wasn't funny, Spyke!"   
  
"What's going . . .? Oh, man, you're kidding me! Hahahaha!"   
  
"Vone-what?"   
  
"Keep laughing ice-man!"   
  
"The living room!"   
  
"Guys, calm down!" a new voice, unheard by the occupants.   
  
"It's, like, not there Kurt!"   
  
"Argh!"   
  
"Hey, woah, watch the hair Berserker!"   
  
"Everybody, just SHUT UP!"   
  
They did, frozen in mid-action. Scott and Jean - Jean was frowning while Scott hid a grin - stood in the living room foyer underneath the large arching doorway.   
  
Ray was dripping with lemonade and peaches stuck to him with pudding, some of the cups still on him. Bobby was laughing - Berserker holding him in a headlock along with a gleefully guilty Spyke. Kitty had finally found her brush and Kurt was on the chandelier hanging upside down. Rogue walked in from the other door, proceeding to sit down and listen to her headphones.  
  
"Now," Jean said, smiling happily once they were just blinking at her. "That's better. I'd like for everyone to sit down. The Professor has some important news."   
  
***   
  
"So let me get this straight: I'm a *pawn* for Mystique to use against this bald guy, "Xavier", to let mutants take over the world. That is, in theory."   
  
Lance nodded, leaning against her door casually, keeping one eye on Bill who had been staring at him ever since they'd come into the room.  
  
Neona growled and punched her fist into the wall. "That bitch."   
  
"Better than living on the streets."   
  
"That and she can't *make* me do a *damn* thing!" This time she kicked her bed, making it lurch.   
  
Lance sighed and reached into his pocket, pulled out a toothpick and began to chew.   
  
"So, how'd she find you?"   
  
"What?"   
  
"I said," Lance reiterated, "how did Mystique find you?"   
  
"Don't know."   
  
"Hmph."   
  
Bill jumped gracefully out the window suddenly, wobbling along a shaky branch, his tail whisking back and forth predatorily.   
  
"Why? Why the *hell* would that - that woman want an 'army' of mutants anyway? We're goddamn powerful! If we're threatened, we can handle it. But an army? Effing crazy."   
  
"You don't like humans, huh?"   
  
"No. You?"   
  
"Some are okay. Some. But for the most part, no."   
  
She sat on her bed, reaching into her bag and pulled out a packet of tic- tacs. She spilled near five or seven into her hand, before popping them all into her mouth.   
  
Lance peered   
  
_[blanched]_   
  
at the site with his nose scrunched curiously. "Mutant. You like it?"  
  
"No."   
  
His brow furrowed, the premature lines deepening. "Why not?"   
  
She snapped her head in his direction, glaring at him, that painful   
  
_[wondrously blissful]_   
  
feeling welling up inside her. "You look normal. You can walk among them without them knowing. I *can't*. Even with a trench coat."  
  
He smirked "Who cares?"   
  
"I do!" she snapped, rising to her feet.   
  
She started to walk towards him, eyes flashing a loathsome red, when she stopped suddenly, the brown trickling back in. She looked around back towards where she'd been sitting, then clutched a hand to her head. "Get out," she hissed.   
  
"No problem," he bit back, slamming the door on his way, trying to discern just WHAT her problem was.   
  
***   
  
Things looked as if nothing had happened since . . . well, quite a while now.   
  
Everybody was in their normal spot (that is to say - Wanda reading, Todd flipping through the television, Pietro gone) and Blob was back in the kitchen trying to salvage dinner somehow.   
  
Lance calmed himself (or at least, tried to) as he - briskly, he thought numbly, remembering one of his foster mothers' favorite word - into the living room, plopping back down.   
  
"I'm bored, yo," Todd said immediately.   
  
"You're always bored."   
  
"Yeah, but this time I'm really, really bored," he said, hopping over to Wanda, but he didn't say anything or move to touch her. He instead read over her shoulder.   
  
Wanda frowned, fighting with herself on whether or not to tell him to get away from her, but decided against it. At least, until he _did_ do something.   
  
"Where's the girl - Neona?"   
  
"Upstairs, Todd." Lance sighed.   
  
"Dinner!" Blob bellowed.   
  
Toad zipped (if that's what it was) out of the room; Wanda followed with Lance right behind.   
  
'If anything, she's just as quiet,' he thought, thinking blearily to the time when she'd come home with Toad, the male mutant pulling them all into the kitchen and explaining to them what had happened - Magneto had brainwashed her.   
  
Neona came down the stairs, walking with deliberate steps, seemingly having a conversation with herself.   
  
"Trouble?"   
  
She stopped her inner monologue, head snapping up, eyes focusing.   
  
"Looks like you've got a stick up your ass is all."   
  
She dived then, knocking the white-haired boy down as he had just entered the house.  
  
Lance laughed at Pietro's stunned expression, though he himself was a little surprised; Pietro hadn't even been that mean to Tabitha her first hour.   
  
"Close the door, Pietro," he choked out between laughs, enjoying the cries and swears ringing throughout the air. He just doubted the neighbors would share his opinion.  
  
Once he got into the kitchen, the other three were poking their heads around, trying to learn what all the ruckus was about.   
  
"Pietro said Neona was walking like she had a stick up her ass." Lance informed (them) nonchalantly.   
  
"Wow, really?" Fred asked, taking a bite into his food.   
  
Gone were the casseroles - or whatever dish he had prepared - and now large sandwiches resided in their place.  
  
He sat down in his own spot, eating happily.   
  
He heard a few more crashes and then both Wanda and Neona came back looking smug.   
  
"What an asshole," Neona said simply, sitting herself in what was normally Pietro's seat. She opened the sandwich and began to take off all the cheese, using it to wipe off the mayonnaise.   
  
"That's a waste," Lance said simply, though in the way his body posture had changed, one could sense it bothered him.   
  
Neona, quite frankly, didn't give a damn.   
  
Instead, she arose and threw it away. Pulling out a cigarette from a small pocket in her skirt, lighting it with a match she struck on the stove. She inhaled deeply walking over to him, blowing the smoke right into his face. "I am a waste. We all are. Get. The. Hell. Over. It."  
  
Lance pounded his hands on the table, standing up sharply. He stood next to Neona, staring her down as he was a rather good deal taller than her   
  
_[like Kitty]_   
  
"Don't waste your food here. We're lucky we've got anything as it is."   
  
She smirked, "You're like an old man."   
  
Then she turned heel and walked back up to her room.   
  
She didn't come down for the rest of the night, either.   
  
***   
  
The next morning, Monday, she did come back down, looking haggard and more diminished than she had the day before.   
  
"Hurry up, you got school."   
  
"What?"   
  
"Mystique enrolled you, she called last night. Now put on the trench and hurry up." Lance finished, heading out the door to the jeep, waiting for Pietro to get back with the gas.   
  
Tabitha came down the stairs, still spritzing her hair with spray. "Hey, girl!" she exclaimed, smiling as she noticed Neona. "You disappeared last night. Anyway, c'mon, don't wanna be late the first day right?" She rolled her eyes and threw Mystique's coat at her, picking up her own on her way out.   
  
Neona stood at the doorway, frozen in shock. School. She'd never gone to a school before.   
  
Ever.   
  
"Fuck," she muttered, flying up to her room quickly and grabbing grabbed two items, then headed back downstairs, swooping down to catch the coat, throwing it on as she walked out.   
  
"Fuck me in the eye!" She said again, hopping into the jeep next to an encouraging Tabitha.   
  
Neona dismally noticed that Wanda was not coming with them.   
  
Lance was filling up the tank as Pietro stood next to him, both talking in a hushed, heated way.   
  
"You'll like Bayville. You can get away with pretty much anything here," Tabitha said, taking a drink out of a water bottle.   
  
"Unless they know you're a mutant," Todd grumbled from the klepto's other side.   
  
"Then I guess I'm in deep shit."   
  
"They can't do anything about it," Tabitha said, placing a hand on Neona's shoulder. Neona growled and the blonde backed off.   
  
Blob was clambering into the very rear of the jeep as Lance hopped in, smirking at Pietro who zipped off on his own. Lance started the jeep and they were off.   
  
*****   
  
Needless to say, her first day wasn't exactly a hit.   
  
She got lost more times than she could count and so many people had turned to stare as she walked past, she She had to carry all her books seeing as she couldn't put anything on her back.   
  
Speaking of her back - Oh, how it ached! She'd never really had to worry about her wings so consistently, or keep them locked closely to her body like today. A tingling sensation had set in about second period, and by fourth had spread up the entirety of her body.   
  
That's why, during fifth, she was out heading toward the unoccupied football field smoking a cigarette, fiddling with her lighter - the two things she'd grabbed that morning.   
  
She always had tic-tacs on her and she'd periodically chew on them between cigs.   
  
There was another person slouching against the stands under the shade of the seats, the mist dancing across their features.   
  
"Mind if I join you?"   
  
"Go ahead."   
  
The boy was interesting to look at.   
  
Boy.   
  
Yeah, he was a boy she decided with a mental firm nod.   
  
He had long hair a soft velvety blue color about to his neck, with a fringe hanging to his cheekbone covering one eye. Between the hair, she saw a piercing silver eye, his other one - the left - amber. His facial features were somewhat girly, but she thought it made him more exotic. He had a short stature from what she could tell and he was lanky. Very lanky. He was wearing a plain black hoodie and she could tell a black shirt was underneath. His black trainer shoes had the laces flayed out in every which way and his jeans had long cuffs and were wearing out at the knees.   
  
"You come here often?"   
  
"First day here." Was the short reply.   
  
She glanced over at him from the corner of her eye, surprisingly at ease with his presence.   
  
"Mine too," she said finally. "Joined a Brotherhood just the other day."   
  
"Institute. Guy by the name of Xavier."   
  
In the middle of what was being a very good drag indeed, she inhaled sharply, the smoke sniping at the back of her throat and she began to cough.   
  
"I take it you've heard of it."   
  
Neona took a deep breath and looked around and upon deciding the coast was clear took off her jacket and spread her wings with a heaving sigh of relief. "Poor bastards have been cooped up all damn day," she said flatly, peering at them, examining closely for any damage even though she knew she wouldn't be able to see it.   
  
"You look like a ghoul," he said, but his expression was light and she gave an almost arrogant smirk.   
  
"What do you do?"   
  
"Mutant powers don't affect me."   
  
"Oh, really?"   
  
"Yup. But if you want technicalities, if you were to hit me, it'd hurt like you were only a human hitting me."   
  
"Nice accent."   
  
He looked at her, wondering just how to reply to that. Instead, he said nothing and they both lapsed into silence, just smoking cigarette after cigarette.  
  
From afar, as they were both lost in their own thoughts, the bell rang and classes were changing.   
  
Neona stood up first, grabbing her coat and whisking it, sadly, back on. "Maybe I'll see you around."   
  
"Maybe you will. Maybe you won't."   
  
"It'll probably be just to kick your ass. So when it does happen, don't take it personally."   
  
"Oh I don't know if I can do that. I know you so well, it would mar me to the core if you were to betray me like that," he said lightly, only a trace of sarcasm lining his voice: obviously a master of the art.  
  
"The name's Neona by the way."   
  
"Dainton."   
  
"Alright."   
  
"Good-bye for now, then, Onna."   
  
"Onna?"   
  
"Japanese. It means woman."  
  
"Alright." She started to walk back. "Goodbye Clayton!"   
  
"Dainton!"   
  
"Don't matter, I know who you are."   
  
*****   
  
Dude, and there you have it.  
  
I have GOT to thank my Beta (teehee) Dead Caffeine Junkie for beta-ing. She KICKS TOTAL ASS! *GLOMP*  
  
Anyway, I've got a few pages of Chapter4 written, so hopefully it shouldn't take too long to get that up. But, anyway, please review/critique (critiquing would really be nice *hint-hint*) and tell me your thoughts on the chapter. Until next time:   
  
Love and Peace,   
  
-Holly   
  
THE FINAL CAST:  
  
MAJOR characters:  
  
1) Michael "Ghost" Graves who is owned by Emerald Knight1. Michael is on the X-Men team.  
  
2) Keely "Numb" Woodrow who is owned by Mickey. Keely is on the X-Men team.  
  
3) Denise Lynn "Vesuvius" Saylors who is owned by Dee Saylors. Denise is the on the Brotherhood team.  
  
4) Dainton Gabriel "Vaccine" Hazard who is owned by Deaf Caffeine Junkie.  
  
MINOR characters (but don't fear, they'll be in the story plenty I promise, and hell, they could get a chapter to themselves, you never know)  
  
1) Ryan "Lynx" Archer who is owned by roguephoenix. Ryan is an X-Men.  
  
2) Abigail "Heartstar" Lesthour who is owned by sierraheart. Abigail is an X-Men.  
  
3) Lucca James "Shatter" Bolton who is owned by Sycommansonboy. Lucca is an X-Men.  
  
4) Lauren "Intwine" McCann who is owned by cheeky-bear007. Lauren is also an X-Men  
  
I apologize from the bottom of my heart if your character was not chosen. I know how that's like, and I am SOOO sorry. 


	4. Chapter Four: Black

*Chapter Four: Black*   
  
Black is an empty space   
  
The place in which I desire   
  
To hide within   
  
Dark is a thing to fear where nothings revealed   
  
The depth below I'm falling   
  
~Collide   
  
*****   
  
Charles Xavier stared down below into the courtyard of his mansion.   
  
His safe house; a place that extended its happily awaiting arms to those that were unique, those that were scared, to give them comfort and promise them security within these walls.   
  
For some though, he thought with a certain distinct weariness, security would not be accepted at all.   
  
He scanned his newest recruits, those who had arrived sporadically the other day, settling in with ease. Smiling, he recalled the warm acceptance the others had given to the newcomers.   
  
His children - for he loved them like any self-respecting father would and referred to them privately as his own - were inspirational, and he was pleased to know that he was, in his own way, helping each and every one of them.   
  
Outside, however, was a different matter.   
  
While Xavier was safe in his office with nothing but peaceful tranquility resounding in his ears, on the grounds was a load of ruckus.   
  
Already, the newest members had separated themselves from within the bunch.   
  
A sixteen-year-old boy by the name of Ryan Archer was grinning deviously as he talked to Bobby, glancing over at Sunspot every so often. Ryan, though having been dealt a grueling hand, still exuded energy and playfulness.   
  
Ryan, newly named Lynx, had black, semi-long, punk styled hair that frequently fell into his left eye and was covered by a beanie of some sort. That was all thank to his mutation - he looked like an overgrown cat, if you wanted to put it bluntly, especially with the green cat eyes that now sparkled as apparently the target had moved from Sunspot over to Scott.   
  
Scott was a talking to two giggling girls, one of whom mimicked him whenever he wasn't looking.   
  
The girl on the left was seventeen-year-old Abigail Lesthour, also called Heart Star. She was a cute, energetic girl with long, wavy auburn way that reached past her waist, and large, blue puppy-dog eyes.   
  
Her companion, on the right, was Keely "Numb" Woodrow, who was also seventeen. Keely was the one mimicking him, and she kept glancing over at Ryan and sharing a smirk with him and Bobby. She was probably just as energetic, maybe even more, than Abigail.  
  
The first thing that had happened once she'd arrived was a minute bomb going off, spraying everybody within the vicinity with shaving cream, immediately exclaiming, "It wasn't me!" accompanied by a lop-sided grin.   
  
The youngest newcomer was a Lauren McCann, and just yesterday had been given her new name, Intwine.  
  
She was thirteen, and painfully shy. She was off to the side, leaning against a tree, large light brown eyes scanning the words as she read a book, fiddling with a strand of her dark brown, highlighted green hair, framing her face in waves. Alongside her sat Dainton "Gabriel" Hazard, who was now facing a break down if he didn't have a cigarette soon.  
  
Over with Beserker and Sunspot, was sixteen-year-old Lucca James Bolton now also known as Shatter. Lucca was talking even more animatedly than the others, and laughs could be heard over Scott's lecturing.   
  
Finally, Keely said something and Scott's lips twisted. He nodded as she bounded over towards Ryan, dragging Abigail with her.   
  
Kitty intercepted however, tripping them both, having been tackled by Kurt during a tackle-football game. Chaos ensued.   
  
*****   
  
Over at the Brotherhood House, things were slightly different.   
  
Mystique had brought back two recruits, and so far, things had not been very pretty.   
  
Except 'that', Lance was reunited with a long lost family member.   
  
This happened to be sixteen-year-old Denise Lynn Saylors, also known as Vesuvius. And so far, she had accomplished two things: driving Lance up the wall, and stealing his Jeep even more often than Tabby had.   
  
She looked rather like Lance in some aspects; she had the dark brown hair, except she wore it up, and her eyes, though green, were shaped nearly identically to his, aside from them being more feminine.   
  
The other new mutant, Michael "Ghost" Graves, who was seventeen, had also accomplished two things. Nearly trying to kill (he was quickly subdued, surprisingly, by Neona) Lance and Pietro, and making quick friends with Tabby and Todd.   
  
Neona and Wanda had become good friends, if that's what they wanted to be called, and tried to mainly stick to themselves.   
  
Denise, however, had been able to plan a huge slumber-party for just the girls in Tabby's room (whom she was boarding with) which would take place this weekend.   
  
Todd and Blob had had to move in together also to make room for Michael, as he was adamant in not having to bunk with any of them.   
  
For the most part, they remained separated.   
  
Mystique was gone again, (Todd decided she was finally going to find a guy and elope, then kill him) so all was right in the world of the Bayville Boarding House of Mutants.   
  
*****   
  
Friday.   
  
At last.   
  
For some anyway. For the newest addition to the X-Men team, however, all that meant was Danger Room sessions.   
  
And so far, they weren't looking all that great.   
  
Dainton, sadly, wasn't much help because of his particular mutation, as well as Abigail and Lauren. Ryan, Keely and Lucca weren't working as a team as well as they should, nor were they paying any attention to their surroundings.   
  
Finally, Scott called for an end over the intercom and Wolverine came out, frown lines deepening.   
  
"You new recruits are going to have to learn to work together, or you're all doomed. We're going to pair up. Spunky - you're with Stripes."   
  
Keely grinned sheepishly as she scooted over to where Rogue was; though her eyes continued to sparkle with all the new excitement this place had given her.   
  
"Lynx - Kurt."   
  
"Alright!" Kurt exclaimed, and high fived Ryan, whose cat ears were twitching with anticipation.   
  
"Heart Star, Intwine, you're gonna work with half-pint."   
  
Abigail returned the smile Kitty was giving her, slinking over to where Shadowcat stood, and immediately began to strike up a conversation, though discreetly so as not to have chores after this. Lauren walked over, body rather scrunched up, cracking her fingers nervously.   
  
"Shatter, you'll be with Spyke."   
  
Lucca gave a slight nod in recognition.   
  
"And Dainton," Wolverine frowned, noticing the small shiver run down the younger boy's back, "You'll be working with Scott."  
  
Dainton gave no recognition to the gentle, semi-supportive look Scott gave him.   
  
"Numb, Rogue, Lynx, Nightcrawler, Shatter, and Spyke on one team. Heart Star, Intwine, Shadow Cat, Vaccine and Cyclops on the other. Your goal: To eliminate the other team by means of pinning them to the ground, or making them immobile, for at least two minutes."   
  
Needless to say, the practice with the original X-Men didn't really help. The newest recruits had gotten a bit confused, and a few were too independent for their own good.   
  
By the time it was all said and done, Abigail was shaking uncontrollably and had to be warmed up by Amara, Shadowcat was knocked unconscious, and Vaccine had a couple of claw marks on his stomach.   
  
But no serious injuries, of course.   
  
***   
  
It was midnight.   
  
To each his, or her, own.   
  
Keely had bunked up with Abigail, leaving Lauren to be paired with Kitty.   
  
Abby was sound asleep, while Keely sat on the balcony, her brow knit together tightly. She bit her lip and fiddled with the edges of the gloves she wore, seeing as her hands were always cold thanks to her mutation.   
  
Her sister had called the other day, two days after she'd arrived. Her mother had gotten another job, as well as her oldest brother, Seth.   
  
Frowning, she wondered about Xavier and his promise that in no way would her family be indebted to him.   
  
'Strange,' she had thought, 'He's either absolutely loony-rich or lying.'   
  
Once she'd arrived, she knew the truth.   
  
Completely, unabashedly, truly and utterly loony-rich.   
  
She'd been the first one to arrive, and the first one to be befriended by all, more or less   
  
***   
  
Ryan was restless.   
  
Even with that grueling session today, he still had a buzz of energy around him, keeping him awake.   
  
That among other things.   
  
He flexed his hand in boredom, extending his claws and retracting them every so often so as not to stab himself.   
  
He frowned, glaring at one of the claws   
  
_[nails, outraged yells, a crucifix]_   
  
and growled.   
  
He'd been "rescued" by Storm, having been found wandering around the streets in a half daze, his father's yells still resounding in his ears.   
  
_[he tried to hammer me to the motherfu... I can't believe he... he tried to hammer and nail and hammer... oh my god he tried to... the crucifix above my bed... oh my god!]_  
  
Whimpering in his head, he pulled the blanket tightly around himself and stared into the seemingly unending abyss of darkness beneath the bed.   
  
But not before reaching above him to the desk at his head and flipping on the light.   
  
***   
  
All she'd ever wanted was comfort.   
  
To believe that she was okay.   
  
Lauren sat on her bed, hands folded atop her lap. She glanced at Kitty for fear she'd wake up and catch her.   
  
Catch her?   
  
At what?   
  
She was just sitting there, completely alert to everything around her. To any noise or any movement - she heard and saw all.   
  
The corner of her lip twitched; she fought not to smile. To not laugh at herself for being so paranoid.   
  
He was all the way over in England.   
  
Not the States, but in England.   
  
He wouldn't find her.   
  
Never.   
  
Never ever.   
  
She chanted this in her head until finally her body demanded rest, and all she saw was the black of dreamless sleep.  
  
***   
  
While Lucca was asleep, Dainton was not.   
  
Dainton wasn't in the Xavier Institute.   
  
Instead, he had sneaked out - more like waltzed out, in all honesty - right through the gates and headed downtown.   
  
To the clubs.   
  
And booze.   
  
And, -GOD- did he feel good right now.   
  
There was something wrong about the whole situation, he knew, but he just couldn't help it if being in pain made him feel... alive.   
  
To be kissed so roughly, sometimes bit, and nearly clawed at because the other person needed to hold on so desperately...   
  
There was nothing like it.   
  
Sometimes to be smacked around.   
  
Sometimes worse.   
  
But it was always okay, always.   
  
Because he felt alive.   
  
Besides, who didn't like sex?   
  
-End Chapter Four-   
  
*****   
  
*shrieks* Oh the horrendous-ness of it all!   
  
Flame, flame.   
  
And no lying by telling me it was okay, for it wasn't. It was rushed, the characterization I'm most decidedly sure was off, and-and... blergh.   
  
Love and Peace   
  
-Holly   
  
P.S. The next chapter will focus mainly on the Brotherhood, and from there on, I suppose, it'll probably focus on one character/coupling in each chapter.  
  
REVIEW REPLIES:  
  
Mickey: Dude, I LOVE Trigun. That's my favorite anime right now. I can't get enough of Vash - he's the coolest. Him and Wolfwood. *sigh*  
  
Dead C Junkie: Pairings. F*&@. I wrote them down but I left them at my dad's house... but then again, I'm still waiting for YOU to decide on what's goin' on with Dainton you silly moo.  
  
Emerald Knight1: THANKS! *glomp*  
  
Sphinx: Aww *GLOMP* You are so f-ing sweet, thanks so much for still reviewing! I'm glad you like Neona, and I'm surpised about Tabby. I wasn't really sure if she was IC, but, thanks for the encouragement.   
  
sycommansonboy: Lucca, lucca, lucca. Glad you liked that last chapter, and I'll try to give Lucca a bigger role in the the upcoming chapters (maybe the next one, I'll try, I promise)  
  
Im4everaqt: The other sweetheart! *GLOMP* ^_^ You've gotta f-ing update your story dude, i'm going BONKERS! ...teehee, bonkers. I used that watch that show all the time... Yeah, don't mind me. 


	5. Chapter Five: The Becoming

*Chapter Five: The Becoming*   
  
It won't give up   
  
It wants me dead   
  
Goddamn this noise inside my head   
  
~Nine Inch Nails   
  
*****   
  
"Lance!"   
  
"Not again . . ."   
  
"Oh favoritest-est-est cousin of mine! I need to borrow your jeep."   
  
"Why?"   
  
Denise entered the living room, crossing her arms and smirking. "I'm gonna go out, get wasted and have wild orgies. Now, since I've told you, can I borrow -"   
  
"NO!"   
  
Michael walked by with Neona, talking heatedly about something in the background, along with Wanda's outraged cries and Toad's frightened and pained shrieks. Pietro and Blob were in the kitchen playing poker.   
  
Lance was standing over Denise, ready to argue all night to keep her from going out, again.   
  
"God, why not?"   
  
"Orgies?" He yelled, waving his arms in emphasis.   
  
She sighed, that smirk still playing around her lips, though. "Yes, Lance. I take it you know what that means. I'm just going to go out and drive around for a bit."   
  
"Yeah, mall-trolling and boy-hunting!" Tabitha exclaimed, dancing her way down the stairs, headphones blaring. She hooked an arm with Denise, who grinned and gave Lance a pointed look.   
  
"Come on, Lance. You know if that jeep was mine, I'd let you borrow it."   
  
"No you wouldn't," Lance laughed, but resignedly handed her the keys anyway, thinking it better for the house to be as less occupied as humanly - mutantly, he thought dryly - possible.   
  
"Superman sucks," Neona called behind her back as she breezed into the room passing a now departing Tabitha and Denise, "He's a fag wearing goddamn spandex and a fucking cape!"   
  
"Dude, his only weakness is kryptonite, though and that's *how* rare?" Mike asked, following her.   
  
Lance dodged out of the room, desperately not wanting another confrontation with the taller male mutant like they'd had the first they he'd arrived.   
  
Ghost stood at about six foot, weighing 175 lbs. Needless to say, he was a little intimidating and even though Lance would never admit it, he knew full well that his mutation was no match against Michael's.   
  
Neona plopped down on the couch, crossing her arms and legs, glaring at Mike. "Precisely. He's too damn powerful; it's unrealistic. And Lois Whore or whatever her name is one hell of a moron since she's madly in love with the guy and she can't even see the comparison between him and Clark. And oh my mother-flippin' god I can't believe I'm even *having* this conversation!" She made a face, and put her face in her hands.   
  
Mike smirked, sitting next to her and slouched down.   
  
"You got a light?"   
  
"What?"   
  
Neona was now holding a cigarette and had a deadpan look splashed on her face. "Light. You know, flame? A match, lighter? Mine are upstairs."   
  
"You're rather lazy, huh?"   
  
"I try."   
  
They stared off for a few minutes, before Neona growled and smacked him on the back of the head, getting up.   
  
"Hey!"   
  
"Lazy sonuvabitch!" She retorted, storming up the stairs.   
  
Todd soon after hopped in, jumping onto the wall pouting, flicking his tongue out to get a few bugs occasionally.   
  
"Girl troubles?"   
  
"I just don't understand, yo. She's crazy for me, I mean, who could resist?" Todd said, sticking out his chest narcissistically before losing his balance and falling onto the couch. "But . . ."   
  
"She acts like she can't stand you?" Mike finished, both eyebrows raised.   
  
"Yeah," Toad finished lamely.   
  
Silence.   
  
"Women," they said simultaneously.   
  
***   
  
"What about him?"   
  
"No way, he's going out with Red anyway."   
  
"Red?"   
  
"One of your new-found arch-nemeses!"   
  
"Oh . . . hey!" Denise drawled, eyeing the newest brave male to come into the mall, being semi-dragged by a petite brown-haired girl with a high pony tail.   
  
"Hmm? What?" Tabitha said, taking her attention from the bomb she'd just thrown into the nearest vendor.   
  
"That guy, with the blue hair!"   
  
"Blue!" Tabitha said, linking an arm with Denise and dragging her over to Kurt.   
  
"Huh?" Kurt looked up, eyes widening and his smile coming out just a little more than forced, "Oh, Guten Tag, Tabitha," he replied in his lilting German accent.   
  
"Hey, Blue, haven't seen you around in a while!" Tabitha exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips. "This is Denise, a new friend of mine."   
  
"Ja, I figured as much. Hallo, Denise," he nodded.   
  
"Hi . . . Blue," she offered meekly, though smiling as wide as can be the entire time.   
  
"Kurt's a mutant, too. He's an X-Man, though."   
  
"Tabitha!"   
  
"Oh, it's okay, I'm a mutie too!" Denise said cheerfully. "I'm staying with the Brotherhood."   
  
Kurt frowned, thinking why a girl with her personality would be at the boarding house, and not at the mansion. "Why?" his accent forced it out like 'vie'.   
  
"Lance is my cousin."   
  
Trying to contain his eyes in their pockets, he realized the resemblance. "Ja, I could tell! Well, maybe I'll see you around, Denise," he said, hearing Kitty calling for him, "You too, Tabitha."   
  
With that, he jogged away.   
  
"So . . . what's his power?"   
  
"Teleportation and awesome blue fur."   
  
Denise didn't skip a beat at the information. "Age?"   
  
"Fifteen."   
  
"Status?"   
  
"Girlfriend."   
  
"Damn."   
  
"Yeah, tell me about it. C'mon, though, let's check out the music - there's always bound to be a totally hot guy there!"   
  
***   
  
"Fuck."   
  
"You lost. Again," Wanda said, a smirk playing around her lips.   
  
"Well, we all don't have cool powers like you do, Maximoff Witch."   
  
Wanda glared, but continued to count her earnings.   
  
"M.W. Hmph. M.B sounds better, I say."   
  
"Well, that's what you say, and I say M.W."   
  
"If you think you're going to get an argument out of me, think again."   
  
"Poop."   
  
"Don't call me feces!"   
  
"Feces? Woah!" Tabitha laughed, Neona glared and Denise pouted. Wanda still continued to count, trying to block all of them out, only looking up when Neona sat next to her.   
  
Silence for a few minutes, before:   
  
"HA! I told you I'd get 50 before eleven!"   
  
There was a pause, all looking at Wanda.   
  
"Hon . . ." Denise started, before shaking her head, "Never mind."   
  
"You're heart-breaking," Neona said matter-of-factly, looking right at Wanda.   
  
***   
  
Michael lay on his bed, staring up at the wall.   
  
So . . . life with the brotherhood wasn't all that bad. A little nosy, rowdy, and obnoxious at times; but it was okay.   
  
The only problems?   
  
Lance and Pietro. Both were arrogant bastards, yet neither would admit, learn or be willing to change that.   
  
The girls were okay, he could stand all the girls (thank god for small favors).   
  
That, and his dog, Jack who was a three-year-old German Shepherd. Unfortunately, Jack had to be tied up outside, which was one of the reasons Mike had attacked Lance and Pietro, even though none in the house were allergic.   
  
Neona's cat Bill had actually made good friends with Jack, it had seemed; though, Bill seemed to be an arrogant bastard himself, so . . .   
  
But still, all was well.   
  
This was his family now, and he might as well get used to it.   
  
Psh.   
  
***  
  
Denise, on the other hand, was trying to contain her giggles while she fought for sleep.   
  
Maybe it had been wrong to dump the oatmeal on Neona? Just . . . maybe a little?   
  
No, it was all worth it. Every blow they had each received (minus Wanda, who just hexed her) was completely worth it.   
  
Besides, if she hadn't, how would she have learned all those new colorful words she'd only heard when she was way too little to understand, much less remember for when she grew up.   
  
But for now, she was just content in bursting into maddening giggles, until she thought maybe some milk might help get her to sleep.   
  
***   
  
"Hey."   
  
"Hey."   
  
There was a ruffle as she adjusted, not quite comfortable in the chair. Sighing heavily, she leaned forward on the heels of her palms.   
  
"Trouble?"   
  
"School's killing my wings."   
  
"The school . . . is . . . killings your wings," Lance repeated, disbelief piercingly loud.   
  
"I have to wear the trench. Very uncomfortable."   
  
He gave a noncommittal hum in response.   
  
"Aren't you lively?"   
  
"I've got things on my mind!" he snapped.   
  
Readjusting to sit crossed-leg, she quirked an eyebrow, exhaling a donut of smoke. "Like what, shake-down?"   
  
He glowered at the nickname. "Things."   
  
"You're such an ass."   
  
"Since when the hell did you become so concerned, Neona?"   
  
"Just making mental notes."   
  
"Why?"   
  
"To be able to piss you off later."   
  
"Seems like you've already succeeded," he muttered, reaching over the edge of the couch (seeing as bat-girl had taken his chair) and picked up his guitar.   
  
He began to play.   
  
"You're gonna wake everybody up."   
  
No response.   
  
"It's finally quiet, Lance. Cut it out!"   
  
His fingers stumbled none.   
  
She got up, and kicked the guitar out of his hands. "I said to stop it!"   
  
Lance growled with his brow wrinkling; the earth began to shake.   
  
Smirking, she just propelled herself with her wings into the air.   
  
The shaking stopped, after one of the pictures fell and created a huge 'boom', Lance sat back down and Neona swooped to sit next to him, crossing her arms.   
  
"What were you thinking about?"   
  
"Kitty."   
  
"Bill?"   
  
"No, a girl on the X-Men. Her name is Kitty."   
  
"Kinky."   
  
"Oh, Jesus Christ . . ."   
  
"It's true, especially once you think about it," she aid, looking at him. "What's so great about her anyway?"   
  
Lance fidgeted, he'd never told anyone why before except Todd that is, but Todd was reliable with secrets, and Lance had known him the longest, also.   
  
"C'mon. What is it? She's got big boobs or something?"   
  
Lance jerked, reflexively glancing at her own before looking away quickly. "She's a freshman."   
  
She blinked   
  
[silently gagged]   
  
saying, "Isn't that illegal?"   
  
"Yeah, like I'd know or care."   
  
"True. But really, what's so great -."   
  
"She's everything I'm not."   
  
She laughed, shaking her head as he just tried to go angrier that his face was red. "Where's the fun in that? That basically says you're polar opposites! Do you have anything in common besides being a mutant?"   
  
He glared, clenching his fist.   
  
"Besides, she's a frosh. Therefore, uptight and nervous all the time."   
  
"Hmph."   
  
She smirked, an idea popping into her head.   
  
Slinking closer to him, he glanced at her nervously. She suddenly pounced him, sitting on his lap, taking his hands and putting them on her hips.   
  
"Would Kitty do that?" she purred, further mocking.   
  
Lance, the poor boy, just stared in disbelief.   
  
Leaning in closer, a tongue against one of her large incisors, she said, "I bet all hell she's never done, or ever will do, this."   
  
With that, she captured his lips, almost painfully passionate.   
  
There would definitely be bruising on his part, anyway.   
  
A while later, after tongues had massaged and explored all area they could, she drew back, eyes closed and chest heaving, him the same.   
  
Once she opened her eyes, she smirked at his _expression. She trailed a finger down his chest slowly, his eyes sprung open.   
  
Her hand kept going lower . . . lower . . . then:   
  
A flick on the nose, and a push on the shoulder.   
  
"Pervert," she hissed, clambering off him and heading upstairs to bed.   
  
"Hey, Neona."   
  
"'Lo, Denise."   
  
And that was how Denise found her cousin as she came down for milk, a completely drunkenly shocked look plastered onto his face.   
  
*****   
  
:::walks away muttering:::   
  
-Holly  
  
REVIEW REPLIES:  
  
TigerStorm: I posted! ^-^ When are YOU going to update, hmmm?  
  
EmeraldKnight1: Aww, I'm glad you like my writing so much! Yeah, I'm a sucker for detail like that *_* And I apologize profusely if I killed Michael's character. I tried, I did.  
  
cheeky-bear007: Dude, nothing you say in a review is stupid. Ever. Thank you for submitting her!  
  
Im4everaqt: DUUUDE! Update! Well, you are a sweetheart. Get over it. ^_~  
  
Sycommansonboy: *blushes* you called me babe . . . *blushes deeper*  
  
Dee Saylors: I'd love to review more if *somebody* would update! . I hope I didn't butcher Denise in this chapter . . . I really hate that mall scene. -_- 


	6. Chapter Six: Waste

*Chapter Six: Waste*  
  
Did Daddy not love you?  
  
Or did he love you just too much?  
  
~Staind  
  
*****  
  
"Yes! First day at Bayville High!"  
  
"It isn't that great, man."  
  
"What, you couldn't read into the sarcasm?"  
  
Evan shook his head at Ryan who was standing with his arms crossed, leaning against the X-van. Scott said he'd give them all a ride - that is, if they wanted one.  
  
Thankfully, the new recruits (or should they be called the Old-But-No-Longer-Newest-Recruits?) declined, opting to walk with Ryan. Evan would skateboard his way in and Kurt was just going to teleport, having said that he had to meet Amanda for some big project they had in Math. Rogue was going to ride one of Logan's motorcycles, unbeknownst to him, and Dainton said something about not going to school earlier the night before.  
  
That left Kitty, Scott, Jean, Lauren, Keely, Abigail, and Lucca to ride in the Van.  
  
*****  
  
1st Period: Pyschology [1]  
  
_Abigail and Michael_  
  
'Okay,' Michael thought, doodling in his notebook, 'So maybe psychology really wasn't your thing.'  
  
He glanced up, looking like the dead, staring straight at the graying man who was droning on and on listlessly, simultaneously writing on the board. Chalk covered his hands and clothes.  
  
'That or the teacher just really, really bites.' He sighed. 'Dude'.  
  
Glancing over he saw a new girl, Abigail he believed her name was, staring raptly at the teacher, taking notes and soaking everything in like there was no tomorrow.  
  
Which there wasn't really, it was just so damned boring it was lunacy.  
  
*****  
  
1st Period: Chemistry [2]  
  
_Lucca and Neona_  
  
"Fuck," Neona muttered, and Lucca smirked.  
  
It figures he would have gotten paired up with the freakiest of the mutants (besides Kurt, that is - but only in a good way with the self-proclaimed 'Fuzzy Dude') and besides, she was the enemy.  
  
Still, her language was, if nothing, entertaining to listen to. It seemed the girl couldn't go one sentence without cursing.  
  
"Are you just going to stand there laughing at me, or are you going to help out?" she snarled, trying to be careful not to snap - literally - at him. Wouldn't want to cause a riot.  
  
The best thing, he thought, was that she didn't know he was a mutant too. So she had to be as careful as usual.  
  
"What do you need help with?" he asked, reclining in his seat, hands behind his head.  
  
"This blue shit. With the clear stuff."  
  
"Pour it in."  
  
"I thought she said not to." referring to the teacher.  
  
"No, it's okay. Trust me."  
  
Glaring, she thrust the containers at him. "You do it, hotshot."  
  
Rolling his eyes, he got up. "Watch and learn, babe." ducking the slap headed for him. He poured the contents onto the dissected frog, and watched as it fizzled and burst, eating away some of the organs, leaving nothing but bones.  
  
"Beautiful," she awed from over his shoulder.  
  
He decided it best to inch away.  
  
*****  
  
3rd Period: AP French [3]  
  
_Ryan and Keely_  
  
Worksheets.  
  
God, how he loathed them.  
  
The words swam together in front of him; he was too tired to concentrate. Not only had he gotten next to no sleep, but besides, it was too early to focus on a different language.  
  
He stared around at the poor saps sitting near him, all working hard. Their instructor had said it wouldn't be due until tomorrow, and therefore, he wasn't going to do it until tomorrow during first period (he had art then).  
  
Keely caught his eye and smiled. They had conferred opinions last night before heading to bed, and had agreed on a particularly awesome prank.  
  
Oh, how they couldn't wait for the day to finish itself.  
  
*****  
  
5th Period: Physical Education  
  
_Ryan, Michael, Abigail, Keely, Neona_  
  
"Pass it, dude!"  
  
Ryan launched the football towards Mike - both blissfully unaware of their soon-to-be rivalry - and Ghost dove for it, catching it on impact.  
  
Normally, neither Ryan or Mike really participated much in Gym, but today was an unexplainable exception.  
  
Keely and Abigail were with the other girls, practicing the long jump.  
  
"Ha, watch this!"  
  
"Whatever, Kee, I can beat it."  
  
"You wish."  
  
"I do, don't I?"  
  
Neona was gone, even though she was supposed to be at least in the stands. It was fifth period, her cigarette break.  
  
Screw lunch.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Haven't seen you around today, Dainton."  
  
"Didn't come."  
  
"Aww, but you came for me. How caring."  
  
"Got a cig?"  
  
"Oh, I get it."  
  
"The Professor took away all of mine!" He exclaimed, clenching his fists.  
  
Shaking her head, trying to contain her rage  
  
[disappointment]  
  
Neona dug into her coat and extracted the pack and a box of matches. Dainton helped himself.  
  
"You look like shit," she commented.  
  
"You're one to talk."  
  
"True, but I always look like this. You don't."  
  
"Rough night."  
  
"Rough?"  
  
"Excruciating," he smiled.   
  
Drag.  
  
Exhale.  
  
A breeze flitted through, stretching its fingers between their hair, dancing together in unspoken symphony.  
  
"Busy tonight?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Come over."  
  
"Can't."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Scott."  
  
"Asshole?"  
  
"Asshole."  
  
"Perfect. Bring 'im along." She grabbed her pack and matches back, walking away swiftly.  
  
*****  
  
READ HERE: All the classes with numbers after them, I have no idea about them. So... yeah. Just a heads-up in case I get information wrong in future chapters. I'll try not to, though.  
  
  
  
. Short chapter. Sorry. You'll get a MUCH longer one later.   
  
By the way, the only reason I'm even updating this early, is because DCJ is sick and I love her and therefore Chapter 6 is dedicated to her.  
  
-Holly  
  
P.S. I had a revelation while writing this chapter. It's never going to get interesting. Wow.  
  
And, (HAHAHA, a long-ass author's note) please critique. Tell me SOMETHING constructive, I'd appreciate it dearly. What do I need to work on? What do I need to stop doing?  
  
REVIEW REPLIES:  
  
Emerald Knight1: Batman. Oh, okay. Batman's cooler than Superman ^_^. I love your reviews, they're always so nice.  
  
Im4everaqt: Dude, I noticed that your OC fic is gone. WTF happened? I'm freaking out cause it's not there. This updation soon enough? Thanks for a kick-ass long review!  
  
cheeky-bear007: Ace? Really? That's my favorite card, actually. That and 2 of Spades. Yup. Thanks for reviewing. I'd like to be a teenage mutant too. (just, not a turtle, you know?)  
  
Dee Saylors: I've got to review your story. -_- It's great so far! LoL, I liked writing her asking for the jeep, that was fun.   
  
TigerStorm: Your OC story. That... got... taken down *weeps bitterly*. Between you and Im4everaqt, I'm gonna have a panic attack 'fore I'm 20!  
  
sycommansonboy: *blushes... again* Thanks for reviewing...and, er... calling me babe? O.o 


	7. Chapter Seven: Mercy, Severity

Chapter Seven: Mercy, Severity  
  
Mother of creation wait  
  
Embrace the souls of a lost world  
  
Carry them away  
  
Darkness, negative, receptive  
  
Pour firmament between our waters  
  
Separate the space  
  
Mother of destruction wait with a belt of skulls strap me down  
  
And send the ship away,  
  
Progress with the process  
  
Mine the souls from their casts  
  
Pour, form, and reshape  
  
~Mudvayne  
  
*****  
  
Meditating.  
  
It was never something he'd been all that fond of, but right now he needed to find some sort of serenity.  
  
Taking a deep breath, resisting the urge to do that annoying, yet eerily  
  
_[piss-your-pants scary]_  
  
calming hum as he sat Indian-style, hands on his knees.  
  
Behind his closed eyes the black was forced into the background by exploding colors. Whoever said that if you closed your eyes you could imagine a scene was lying. All he saw was fireworks.  
  
He continued to breathe deeply, trying to whisk the fear that had been pounded into his heart like a nail - rusty and covered with dry grime - set into him near permanently by that look . . .  
  
God, that look had been plaguing him, flashing over and over in his mind. He was sure that if it had a voice, it would be screaming at him, voice screeching, the vocal chords letting him know they were half decayed.  
  
_[like himself]_  
  
He felt dead most of the time.  
  
Dead. and afraid.  
  
Logan scared him. Logan and his strong stature, his muscles, and deep voice rippling from his throat.  
  
Those claws that he could extract and retract by mere will . . . nobody would know he had them until . . . until he showed them.  
  
Out of rage.  
  
But it wasn't Logan that had scared him with that look.  
  
Deep breath.  
  
Exhale. Shaky.  
  
In fact, it hadn't even been until today that the look had really hit him; which was surprising, considering he'd received it yesterday.  
  
At least now he knew what that thought that had been plaguing the back of his mind had been.  
  
He got up after peeking at the clock:  
  
5: 37, the red light next to the PM blaring.  
  
He and Neona had decided on six for him to come over.  
  
At least, anyway he'd  
  
_[that look... oh god I know that look... he wants to... dear Jesus I won't let him... who does he think... he isn't fooling me... he doesn't even care... oh god GET AWAY!]_  
  
be away from him.  
  
Dainton Gabriel Hazard was afraid.  
  
Deeply afraid and  
  
_[madly in lust]_  
  
horrified by Scott Summers.  
  
***  
  
England.  
  
That glorious place across the Atlantic Ocean. To some, she supposed, it was a rather sort of paradise. It was prettier than this place called Bayville, she knew that much, if you shrugged off the crowded streets and dirty foggy air.  
  
Yet, still, the thought haunted her, ate away at her.  
  
Her father - no, her foster father, for his sperm wasn't the one that had helped create her - had become the worst drunk she's ever had the displeasure of meeting.  
  
After her... mother... had died, it had only gotten worse.  
  
He had stopped going to work, heaven forbid the idea of that slob showing up the way he was, and stayed and drank.  
  
And cursed.  
  
He had been so angry, still was she suspected, if she thought she knew him well enough.  
  
Marie McCann had died from a severe form of heart disease, it killed her slowly and painfully. It was just as hard on her husband, James, as it had been on her.  
  
When that day had come...  
  
Sometimes, she knew this was completely irrational because her abilities didn't allow that, she could have sworn she felt his presence when he grew nearer.  
  
When she had been on the run, just last year when she had been twelve, his presence felt like it was always right behind her, ready to swoop down and cage her up like some sort of wild animal.  
  
While he was drunk, like most people are, he wasn't all that right in his mind. He did things, things she knew he wouldn't do if he hadn't been doing the Bad Thing.  
  
He abused her, physically. But the mental abuse he put her through was ten times worse than any beating he could bestow upon her.  
  
What had made her snap, made her say 'screw this' and run away?  
  
He had taken advantage of his daughter, his daughter, stole her innocence when every other father out in this half-assed world was trying to protect their daughters from exactly that, from any man.  
  
James McCann had  
  
_[Daddy? Daddy what are you doing? Daddy, no! Please, God, Dad no, don't do this... you don't want to do... I know you don't really... daddy get OFF of me daddy let me go! DADDY GET THE HELL OFF ME!]_  
  
raped his daughter.  
  
He made her bleed. He made her sore. He made her hurt, all over on the outside and inside.  
  
Her powers had manifested when she was running, making her pass out from the exertion.  
  
She woke up in the hospital, his face grinning above hers.  
  
Damn the police. She now knew they weren't any good at all.  
  
And, then, she saw a person who in her mind had become the Savior, Jesus Christ.  
  
His name was Charles Xavier, and he looked like the most wonderful thing on the world to her when he showed up on her doorstep.  
  
Her father had been away... she went with him, and his cohorts.  
  
Now, instead of feeling that peace she'd felt when she first saw them, now she was abiding in fear once more.  
  
She sensed his presence, coming ever nearer to her.  
  
But he was in England, so far, far away from her.  
  
***  
  
Everybody has their demons.  
  
And like Lauren, Ryan Archer's personal demon was his father.  
  
Thankfully, his father hadn't abused him sexually.  
  
No, just physically.  
  
He hadn't seen the outside world for three consecutive years until he'd been able to escape.  
  
Once his mutation kicked into effect, his father - the bastard - had locked him up in his room, having called it his 'haven against the real humans'.  
  
Haven his ass.  
  
It was in that room where everything went down.  
  
He'd always assumed his father had researched the beatings from the library or online, the torture methods they had used in the 15th century.  
  
He had scars everywhere on his body, some pink and fading, some others still fresh and raw, and some were purple.  
  
When the last straw had been pulled, Ryan lost it.  
  
He attacked the man who helped birth him, and ran away. Ran to the streets, broken and bleeding - the laceration in his stomach slowing him down greatly - he had made his way to the Mansion.  
  
Xavier's Institute for Gifted Children. Now, that was his real haven.  
  
He'd read about it in the newspaper, wanting desperately to be able to escape to the large house - an institute.  
  
His father...  
  
His father had tried to nail...  
  
He took a breath, shaky and shallow. He rolled over on his bed to lay flat on his stomach. Closing his eyes, he replayed it over and over in his mind, even though he knew he'd never forget it.  
  
His father had brought a cross into his room, nails and a hammer, a large slender knife attached through his belt loop.  
  
Then, he'd grabbed Ryan, and slit a gash through his side - reminiscent of what Ceasar's guards had done unto Jesus before crucifying him.  
  
And then, while Ryan's vision was blurry and hazy due to the pain, he'd lifted him up, trying to nail him to the cross.  
  
Ryan came to his senses as he felt the nail being pressed up against an open palm, and he went into action.  
  
He broke his arm during the struggle, and the gash in his side grew worse, but he managed to get out of the house and traveled to Xavier's.  
  
Ryan took another shaky breath, and fell into uneasy sleep.  
  
It was 5:58.  
  
-End Chapter Seven`  
  
*****  
  
Yay. A quick update, and I LIKE this chapter. Wow. Be amazed, folks, be amazed. Le sigh.  
  
Critique/Review!  
  
Love and Peace -Holly  
  
REVIEW REPLIES:  
  
roguephoenix: I have NO idea what I'm going to do for the prank. Any ideas? I hope I did an okay job with Ryan's past. I read his Bio for five whole minutes. I'm so proud of myself. ^-^  
  
Sphinx29: Pysch is EXACTLY like my Bio class. LoL, what a co-eenky-deenk. Oh, inspiration. THANK you for critiquing. Yeah, I didn't think Lance would, but I figured, oh, with all these new people invading his space, he's bound to get cranky. It'll pass, though.  
  
sycommansonboy: LoL, yes I used Lucca. He'll be in here plenty, I promise.  
  
cheeky-bear07: Turtles are cool. Raphael is my favorite. I like Lauren just the way she is, she'll be fun to work with considering her background and all. Sweet.  
  
TigerStorm: Thank god you saved the OCs. You have GOT to put it back up, you MUST. I await an updation.  
  
Dee Saylors: Oh, you're having one of those days. Man, I miss those. Damn my school peers. Le sigh. An update... that isn't so short!  
  
HEY! HEY I'M NOT DONE YET! I'VE GOT *PAIRINGS* YO!  
  
Oh man, they've been in my notebook for *years* it seems like, and I meant to put these up a LONG-ass time ago. *sigh*  
  
Pairings:  
  
1) Lynx and Tabby  
  
2) Mike and Jean  
  
3) Abigail and Todd  
  
4) Lauren with an Interactive Crush on Pietro (plenty of flirting, promise)  
  
5) Keely and Pietro  
  
6) Denise and Kurt  
  
7) Neona and Lance  
  
8) Dainton and Scott (told ya there'd be slash. I can't WAIT to get real interaction between those two...) 


	8. Chapter Eight: Crawling

Surgery  
  
By: Holly Rose E  
  
A/N: Slack-y chapter. Taking a slight break from the story for just a SHORT while (I swear, guys) to collect and organize things for my other OC story - Bleeding Sanctuary. It'll take me a few days, and distract me from this lovely piece of work right here (I WON'T BE GIVING UP ON THIS, I SWEAR ON MY BORING LIFE!). But anyway, this is a more light-hearted chapter. Hopefully, the next one will finally live up to the Angst genre I put it in.  
  
*****  
  
Chapter Eight: Crawling  
  
Against my will  
  
I stand beside my own reflection  
  
It's haunting how I can't seem  
  
To find myself again  
  
~Linkin Park  
  
*****  
  
"Whoops," Abigail murmured, as she bumped into the table, sending the castle of cards to collapse into itself.  
  
She continued to hum, walking out of the room. She hadn't been here very long, but knew right away that she loved Bayville. Taking a bite of her pumpkin pie, she didn't notice the shouts exchanged in the foyer between Sam and Evan, each accusing the other for the early demise of their masterpiece.  
  
Giggling to herself, she bounded up the stairs to her and Keely's room, where Keely was hunched over a piece of paper, etching away.  
  
"Hey, Kee, whatchya doin'?" Abby chirped, all smiles.  
  
"Huh?" Keely said, retaining from letting rip a shriek, "Oh, nothing, just... going over some homework is all."  
  
"Yeah?" Abigail came over and tried to peer over Keely's shoulder, but the other girl was covering it with her arm.  
  
"What of?"  
  
"Just an essay, is all."  
  
"Can I help?"  
  
"No, I think I've got it. Anyway, I was supposed to meet up with Ryan. See ya!"  
  
Keely ran out the door, paper in hand, flustered.  
  
Abigail remained in the room, flipping on the radio, grabbing one of Keely's magazines, and continued eating her pie and humming.  
  
***  
  
Scott sat, amazingly, in the passenger's seat of his red, white- striped convertible. He was frowning, worry lines etching their way between his eyebrows to permanent residence.  
  
Glancing over, he warily looked at the other boy. He was trying  
  
[painfully]  
  
to look casual, but his jaw was clenched, and a vein was faintly working over time in his temple. The off-colored, mismatched eyes were less than half-lidded due to his concentration. Every so often he'd frown, but it would disappear just as quickly.  
  
Dainton was a tense  
  
[anxiety-stricken]  
  
teenage boy.  
  
Scott sighed and leaned on his hand, putting the majority of his weight against the side door.  
  
Dainton had practically flown into the garage, told him they were going somewhere, and to get in the car - passenger side, he was driving.  
  
So, here they were.  
  
Silence was reigning supreme, neither of them having, nor wanting to say anything. Surprisingly  
  
[sadly]  
  
the area that they were drawing ever closer to was the Brotherhood of Mutants' Boarding House.  
  
Scott bit his lip: what if Dainton had been befriended and this was some sort of  
  
[painful]  
  
practical joke on Ole Cyke?  
  
Groaning, and earning a startled look from Hazard, Scott slouched down, slinking nearly to the ground and under his belt.  
  
***  
  
A circle  
  
Without end  
  
No start  
  
Just a middle  
  
The most important  
  
Of a story  
  
~  
  
Can't remember  
  
Don't want to  
  
Hate it  
  
Hate all about it  
  
The prelude  
  
~  
  
Something pushed  
  
Trigger pulled  
  
The gun shot  
  
Resounded  
  
Pounded  
  
My head to the ground  
  
~  
  
'They lived happily  
  
Ever after'  
  
There is no end  
  
Never forever  
  
It will always continue  
  
This cycle  
  
~  
  
I'm trying to run  
  
I looked at Medusa  
  
She caught my eye  
  
I saw the faded beauty  
  
Inside  
  
Now I turn to stone  
  
~  
  
Can't feel  
  
Myself  
  
Can't move  
  
Away  
  
Can't see  
  
Ahead  
  
Can't tell  
  
The right  
  
From  
  
The wrong  
  
~  
  
I scream  
  
In silent symphony  
  
Violins shriek  
  
In my mind  
  
~  
  
Flip the switch  
  
Pull the trigger  
  
Pounding  
  
Resounding  
  
Beating  
  
Shrieking  
  
Pain  
  
Chain  
  
Me to the ground  
  
~  
  
Just keep  
  
Spinning me  
  
***  
  
It was near 6:10 when it happened. Twenty-seven seconds before, if you wanted to get technical.  
  
Pandemonium broke loose. If one has ever witnessed pandemonium occur they know it is not a pretty thing when it goes off.  
  
Logan had just finished his own personal training session, and was heading to his room to take a shower.  
  
Evan and Sam, having out-argued each other, both retired to Sam's room for a little one-on-one video gaming; Lucca going to play winner.  
  
Lauren, tired of wandering around both inside and out, had gone to get a book.  
  
Jubilee and Bobby, along with Rahne, had gone to Ryan's room to scare him.  
  
Kitty was out with Kurt - again - but Kurt had insisted on taking Rogue along with them. The latter girl had grudgingly  
  
[yelling and cursing, decidedly pissed off]  
  
come along.  
  
Jean, Storm, and Xavier were the only ones who remained unharmed.  
  
That is, except for two others.  
  
As each one had opened their doors, a net had flown out, captured and suspended them above the ground three feet away, simultaneously slamming the door closed once again. Normally, they would have used the mutations to escape, but rat traps had been strategically placed right underneath, actually along the entirety of the floors and beds.  
  
As said, pandemonium.  
  
Outside, laughing and eating all the goodies they had ransacked, was Ryan Archer and Keely Woodrow, driving away in Jean's mini-van.  
  
And, oh, the swears and cries of vengeance and of quadruple time in the Danger Room.  
  
-End Chapter Eight-  
  
*****  
  
I just want you guys to know - I have grown to love these characters (every damn one, all eight) as my own. They just STRIKE me, you know? They strike me in that gooshy part of my charred little heart, and I love them to itty- bitty pieces. ...Now that I've embarrassed myself, let's move on, shall we?  
  
P.S. That disgusting thing in the middle is mine. Entitled "Spin". Tear it apart, please.  
  
Love you all  
  
Holly  
  
REVIEW REPLIES: Dee Saylors: LoL. Of course, after reading your story, I was very adamant in my mind with putting Denise with Kurt.  
  
roguephoenix: Hot damn. I was inspired by the rat-trap one. A little more evil, but, what hey? Thanks a ton for the suggestions, by the way.  
  
cheeky-bear007: Aw, poor gal. *huggles* I hope this update makes you a bit happier. BTW, Leila got accepted. Just a fyi.  
  
Emerald-Knight1: Hey, dude, where ya been? LoL. People tell me I'm a bit of an empath, apparently. Maybe that has something to do with it. I dunno.  
  
TigerStorm: I hate anti-bodies. They never work. Hope you feel better! *huggles* (germs be damned)  
  
sycommansonboy: ^-^ Well, I 'wuv' you for reviewing.  
  
BIG-ASS SHOUT TO THE BETA - DEAD CAFFEINE JUNKIE WHO JUST RULES MY SUGAR FUELS! ^_~ 


	9. Chapter Nine: Everything

"Surgery"  
  
By: Holly Rose E  
  
Rating: UPPED! PAY ATTENTION! It is now an 'R' for sexual (yaoi) content.  
  
Author's Note: Dear god... I – I don't know what to say about this chapter. Only that, if you're squeamish about sex, I'm sorry.  
  
*****  
  
Chapter Nine: Everything  
  
There is no pressure for the hemorrhaging  
  
There is no healing me  
  
So what if I'm walking now?  
  
I still burn every time that I breathe  
  
~Tapping the Vein  
  
*****  
  
"The Boarding House!" Scott cried, glancing back and forth between a determined looking Dainton and the decrepit house where the slime-balls of the planet resided.  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
Scott frowned, thinking his words over carefully. "You see, the Brotherhood... they're the enemy."  
  
"I thought humans were." Gabriel said, raising an eyebrow casually.  
  
"No! No, of course not – we're working to let them understand we mean no harm. But the 'Hood, they... they're doing the opposite. They don't have any respect for what we're trying to accomplish."  
  
Dainton rolled his eyes, unbuckling his seatbelt. "Have you ever asked for their point of view?"  
  
Scott's face hardened, and he was glaring underneath his glasses. "There's no need to. They've proven – or, at least, tried to prove – their point numerous times before."  
  
"Talk to them and find out."  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes, damn it!"  
  
"No!" Scott muttered, leaning down in his seat once more, crossing his arms and jutting out his lower lip. He looked like a child who had not gotten his way. Cute in a disgustingly nostalgic way.  
  
Dainton leered slightly. "One hour, just one hour."  
  
"They have no idea I'm coming over, do they?"  
  
"Same with me. Except Neona."  
  
"Neona?"  
  
"Yes, a new recruit they've got, just like you've gotten us."  
  
Scott cursed mentally; Mystique had gotten to her before they had. Now her mind would be poisoned just like the rest.  
  
(But Scott) a voice in the farthest corner of his mind argued, (you never gave them a chance anyway. As soon as you found they were with Mystique, you just gave up. Hating them)  
  
He told the voice to shut up.  
  
"Fine, but only until I find the urge to get out!"  
  
"One hour." Dainton, walking with Scott up the littered path to the door, said nonchalantly in a knowing way.  
  
"Whatever." Scott kicked a piece of trash out the way, hands deep in his pockets.  
  
***  
  
"King me."  
  
"No shit." Toad growled, kinging the black piece, which belonged to Mike.  
  
Todd sat, staring at the checkerboard, the paint chipped all the way off on less than half the pieces. Both teams – red and black – had three pieces missing, which made the game just a tiny bit different.  
  
"Go," Mike sighed, leaning back on the chair, praying that the leg that had had to be taped and glued back together wouldn't snap.  
  
It was a miracle that it didn't.  
  
Lance and Pietro were in the living area, watching some reality show that was wasting away whatever smarts they had in them, while Tabby and Denise had swept out in the jeep to god-knows-where.  
  
Wanda was up in her room, hexing things in a bored fashion and thinking of ways to torture Todd, lest he bother her once more.  
  
Neona came hurtling down the stairs at a surprising speed – nobody had seen her move that fast since she came to stop Ghost from pounding Avalanche and Quicksilver into the ground – and swung open the door.  
  
"Clayton!"  
  
"Onna." Dainton said, still in his quiet way with an underlining smirk lacing his voice.  
  
"Clayton?" Scott whispered, a wave of fear threatening to drown him. Here he was, damn near defenseless, standing at the house of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.  
  
Lord in Heaven help him.  
  
"It's a sort of joke. You must be Summers." Neona answered from the doorway, grinning to show off her fangs. "Nice to finally meet the leader Assho-."  
  
"You gonna let us in, Neo?"  
  
"No." She said, walking away, leaving the door wide open.  
  
Gabriel nodded at Scott to go in ahead of him, and as Scott did so, acting way braver than he actually felt, he took a peek at the Fearless Leader's perky derrière.  
  
He couldn't help but let a small secretive smile form on his face.  
  
"Living area, kitchen." Neona said, walking into the living area, sitting down on the opposite end of the couch, Lance on the other end.  
  
That didn't last long, because the two male 'Hoods quickly got up and squared off with Scott.  
  
"Sit down you fuckers, before you all blow up from too much testosterone rushing to your heads." Neona said, reaching a wing out, and curling it around Lance, dragging him back to the couch.  
  
After doing so, she got up and headed over to Pietro, and cuffed the back of his neck. "I said: Sit. The. Hell. Down. Got it?" she bit out, snapping at his face. He jerked back quickly, barely getting his nose out of the way in time.  
  
"Boys, boys." she said, now regarding the X-Men. "Come and sit. We'll... 'chat'."  
  
Dainton followed her slowly, sitting on the floor next to Neona's feet.  
  
Scott stayed where he was, still feeling like he shouldn't be there. The best thing to do would be to follow his instinct: Run away. Run far, *far* away.  
  
It was a strange scene, the way they were all looking at him and the way they were arranged, looking at him like they were judging him.  
  
Pietro was a bit away, sitting on the bean bag chair, splayed out, his pale complexion giving him a deceased look. Lance was on one side of the couch, one leg crossed over the other in the 'manly' way, his arms on the back. Neona was on his – Lance's – left, sitting with her legs crossed, bobbing a foot up and down, just staring at him in a 'you dumbass' way. Dainton was at her feet, an arm up on the couch, like they were higher than him, and he was the mere peasant here to see if he can pass their judgment.  
  
Lance made the first move. As soon as he stood up, Pietro was out of there, and Lance walked past Scott, raising an eyebrow and smirking in a knowing way.  
  
"Summers, come, come."  
  
Scott walked carefully into the room, stepping over this and that, careful not to step on anything and break out  
  
_ [like they'd have anything of value here though, right Scott] _  
  
"So..." Neona began, once Scott had sat where Lance had been not five seconds ago.  
  
***  
  
"I can't *believe* you talked me into that!"  
  
"You got into the car, after that, I had no control." Dainton said lazily, this time riding the passenger's side, letting Scott vent his anger on the road, flying over hills and thrice nearly crashing into another vehicle.  
  
"You could have at least TOLD me where we were going!" Scott yelled, turning the corner so quickly that even Dainton couldn't help gripping the side of the door until his knuckles turned ghastly.  
  
Dainton glanced at Scott. Normal, cool and collected Scott was now freaking out because of one little visit.  
  
"You've been repressing, haven't you?"  
  
"I have not!" His voice screeched, sounding like a dying rabbit.  
  
"All right, no need to get upset!"  
  
The rest of the car ride was spent in silence, minus the honks and the "Fuck you, asshole!"'s that were screamed at the lunatic driver, who was presiding under the name of Scott Summers.  
  
Nothing horribly traumatic had happened; the brotherhood just went about acting like they always did, maybe just a tad more crazier than was per norm, but truly it wasn't far off from their regular behavior.  
  
It was probably when Denise and Tabby had arrived home, and Wanda came down the stairs, charging after a shrieking Toad, that Scott lost it.  
  
Neona and Lance, somewhat close to each other yet still far away enough to not let suspicions grow  
  
_ [Yeah right Summers, did you see the way she kept glancing at him? She's worse than Kitty] _  
  
just stared placidly after the retreating Scott, and said a small goodbye to Hazard.  
  
***  
  
Dainton stared; this couldn't be happening. No way in any world – Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, and surely not Earth – could this be occurring.  
  
He was in his room, coming back from the bathroom, nothing but a towel around his waist, dripping wet with water so hot he was surprised it wasn't still steaming.  
  
After locking the door as he always did, he turned around and saw what lay on his bed, making his heart leap into his throat, near choking him.  
  
Scott Summers in only his nuddy-pants.  
  
The blonde was smirking, propping himself ever so slightly onto his elbows, grinning mischievously. His legs were crossed at the ankles, and his stomach and chest muscles rippled with every breath.  
  
His body was glistening, nipples erect. He patted the spot next to him, beckoning silently, his mouth pouty, bottom lip succulent.  
  
Dainton, without much hesitation, stepped toward him and climbed onto the bed before Scott flipped him over onto his back, towering over him.  
  
Scott quickly began, biting Dainton's lips and kissing him simultaneously – bruising and drawing blood.  
  
Dainton moaned in ecstasy.  
  
The older blonde, dragged his nails across Gabriel's chest, pink and red intermingling. Grinding their hips achingly together, Scott chuckled and Gabriel's breath caught; he threw his head back, eyes shut in bliss.  
  
Scott's lips left Dainton's and began to travel downwards, stopping to take Gabriel's left nipple into his mouth, sucking on it before biting and leaving it to throb.  
  
Scott removed Dainton's towel, and lowered his head...  
  
*GOOOOD MORNING BAYVILLE!*  
  
"The fuck?" Dainton cried out, his voice jumbled with sleep.  
  
He rolled over to snap his alarm off, and made a face, feeling the sticky substance that was now coating his abdomen.  
  
"Urgh..."  
  
He sat up, and winced, but not from his semen.  
  
There were claw marks on his chest, light pink and quickly fading, but still there.  
  
-End Chapter Nine-  
  
****  
  
A/N: *blushes like a blushing thing*  
  
DCJ: All for you, love, all for you. *GLOMP*  
  
REVIEW REPLIES:  
  
Sycommansonboy: I try, truly, I do. I'm hoping for another Luka moment next chapter.  
  
TigerStorm: Anti-bodies will burn in Hell. LoL. Stark working! ^_^  
  
Cheeky-bear007: Eh, probably not near as bad as I did in mine. Nobody can compare, trust me. You probably looked great, relax. I'm off to work on Chapter One of "Bleeding Sanctuary" right now! All 'bout Leila, too!  
  
Emerald Knight1: Man, I know how that feels. I'm glad your back though!  
  
Dee Saylors: Physics. Fizzzzzz-icks. Haha. Update! *bounces around* Update update update!  
  
Love and Peace you guys,  
  
-Holly 


	10. Chapter Ten: Ocean

Surgery  
  
By: Holly Rose E  
  
Rating: R  
  
A/N: *ducks* Eek! Okay, okay, I know it's been awhile. But you guys get a long chapter in persuasion of forgiveness. (At least, longer than the last... what? Four? have been)  
  
*****  
  
Chapter Ten: Ocean  
  
Liquidized emotion  
  
Water takes you in  
  
Deep within the ocean  
  
I could sleep for days  
  
Hours, only minutes  
  
Thoughts of imagery lure you from your spectrum  
  
Solve your misconceptions  
  
~Collide  
  
*****  
  
"Hey Gabe."  
  
Startled out of a trance, Dainton looked up and twisted his body around-wincing and reveling in the pain on his chest-to peer into the cat eyes of Ryan Archer.  
  
Warily, he replied, "Ryan," nodding his good morning hello.  
  
Cat-boy grinned and leapt over the couch to plop down next to him. As punishment for their stunt on the mansion, both Ryan and Keely were unable to leave the house and also had three weeks of hard labor and chores ahead of them  
  
"You know, you should be more sociable. You could have lots of friends; you seem like a cool guy."  
  
Dainton raised an eyebrow. "I'm aware of that. I'm just so selfish; I like to keep all this coolness to myself."  
  
Ryan frowned; Dainton left his eyebrow arched.  
  
Finally, he said, "I was joking."  
  
"Oh!" Ryan exclaimed, chuckling without much surety. "Anyway, you like Play Station? I got the new Grand Theft Auto III."  
  
"Not a big fan," the blue-haired boy stated, cracking his knuckles softly due to nerves. 'What does this guy want?'  
  
"Dude, c'mon, you'll like it, I promise. It's not that hard. Hell, I think even Evan could get it."  
  
Ryan stood up, shoving his hands in his pockets as he tried not to fidget while Gabriel debated internally, looking him over.  
  
Eventually, Dainton sighed and also stood up. "Whatever. It'll take my mind off my nicotine cravings."  
  
***  
  
Abigail was a good friend: or was it just because Keely guilt-tripped her into staying?  
  
It was a silly question; Abigail was still there to keep the poor, punished girl company. Although, of course, she truly didn't deserve what she had gotten.  
  
She had only-along with Mr. Archer-caused serious trauma to Jamie, and injured a couple of the other mutants. But that was all.  
  
"Hey, Abby?" Keely said, flipping through the latest issue of _Rolling Stone_.  
  
Abigail murmured something as she scribbled furiously on a piece of paper. It was amazing how into her homework she could get sometimes. In fact, it was downright frightening.  
  
"Are you scared?"  
  
That got Abby's attention, as she snapped her head up and kept her pencil poised, mid-word. "Of what?"  
  
"You know... the FoH, and just... being a mutant in general?"  
  
"I think it's cool; I like being a mutant. I've been dealt a winning hand, and I revel in it. Why? Are you worried about it?"  
  
"Well, it's just..." Keely faltered for the right words. "We've been hearing so much about it, about how much they hate us and all. It just sort of gives me the creeps."  
  
"Aw, you shouldn't worry so much Kee!"  
  
Keely sighed, "I can't help it. What if they attack us like they did before? What if we don't make it?"  
  
Abigail rolled her eyes and got up and sat on Keely's bed next to her. "Come on Keely, let's talk about something else since it's bothering you so much."  
  
Keely bit her lip, "Alright."  
  
***  
  
Bobby was, without a doubt, the mansion's original prankster. Yet, as all things do, it had to come to an end sooner or later.  
  
That day was today.  
  
Most likely it was only for today.  
  
It was one of those days, were the sun was shining, blinding all those who were unfortunate enough to step into its path, yet there was no wind to ruffle the flowers that were in full bloom. Everything had stopped in activity, letting boredom run the mind and push the world on its axis and, without any real humor whatsoever, spun it around with a finger poised to stop it at any given moment.  
  
Where it would pick, nobody knew.  
  
But right now, it looked pretty clear that it was Bayville, New York.  
  
There was truly nothing to do except lay about and wonder how long it takes for ones brain to fry.  
  
All the video games in the universe would not be able to help Bobby Drake in his quest for energy.  
  
"Yo, Bobby," a voice called through the jokingly thick door of his bedroom.  
  
"Come in," he replied in a placid voice.  
  
Lucca stepped in, twirling something in his fingers. "What's up?"  
  
Bobby looked at him in disbelief, before letting his head drop back onto the pillow where it had been residing for the past two hours.  
  
"I know something we can do to brighten up the life of mutants everywhere."  
  
"Too hot."  
  
"So cool it down." Lucca grinned.  
  
Bobby swung his legs over the side of the bed, and gave him a point blank look. "The last time I did that, I got a punishment ten times worse than what Numb and Lynx both have now, Shatter."  
  
Lucca rolled his eyes, having stopped the twirling. He now held the object tightly in his fist, wondering to god what this kid's problem was.  
  
"Who cares? Come on, let's go have some real fun." Lucca grinned, tossing the object at Bobby, who caught it deftly with his right hand.  
  
Lucca walked out, grinning self-assuredly. He began to hum "mOBSCENE" by Marilyn Manson, hands in his pockets.  
  
Bobby, on the other hand, was just staring at the glass. So maybe this was part of his mutation.  
  
In fact, now that he thought about it. he didn't really know any of the new mutant's mutations --aside from Ryan.  
  
***  
  
Lauren had always been the type to prefer to be by herself, or rather, had been forced into thinking that.  
  
After what her father  
  
_ [daddy? Daddy no! get off me, please, daddy stop NO!]_  
  
had done to her, she had elapsed into what the majority of rape victims often did. They begin to think themselves dirty and horrid, unwanted by anything to do with society.  
  
But it was one of those days, and over the past few days she had grown a little closer to her surroundings.  
  
Jamie, for one. They were in a few classes together in the middle school, and with the entire population of Bayville being aware of their "disfigurement" [even though nothing was peculiar about the way either one of them looked] they had been forced to rely on one another.  
  
But thus is life.  
  
Jamie, along with two multiples, was now running over to where Lauren sat underneath her designated tree of choice. "Hey Loz." he called, two of the three waving at her.  
  
He had begun to call her Loz the third day of class, proclaiming she needed a cool nickname he could call her. She told him her mother used to call her 'Loz' and he smiled and agreed to call her that from now on.  
  
"Hey," Two panted, while the other one was all energy, "You won't believe this. You've got to come check it out!"  
  
He held out his hand for her, and she tentatively took it, thin fingers grasping his in a shy way.  
  
Blushing, she let herself be led by a nearly combusting Jamie.  
  
She was happy.  
  
***  
  
Over at the Boarding House, normally rowdy where you could never reach a moment of silence, even in the deadest hours of night, it was now silent as they all sat in their respective places looking glazed.  
  
Ghost and Toad were, once again, playing a rigorous, rousing game of checkers.  
  
And, once again, Michael was kicking Todd's red pieces to dust.  
  
"You really need," Mike said, pronouncing every word carefully in a stupor-induced way, "to learn how to play chess."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Mike smirked, puffing up. He proclaimed haughtily in a much deeper voice, "Because it's a *man's* game!"  
  
Todd looked at him for a moment, before bursting out laughing, as did Ghost.  
  
"This is insane. There's nothing to do, yo. We've been playing checkers for practically the last five days."  
  
"Two."  
  
"Whatever, yo." A red piece triple-jumped Mike's pieces, only to be blown away.  
  
"It's like fighting the X-Men," Toad sighed.  
  
"You fight them?" Mike asked, a tad startled.  
  
"Well of course, it's what we do to get our kicks." another blown move, "Plus it's our job. It's the only way we're allowed to live here without any parents. Mystique lets us live in her house as long as we do what she says from time to time."  
  
"Sounds like bullshit."  
  
"I don't have to worry about nothin' no more except if we got food, yo. Everything's cool here, so play."  
  
***  
  
"Do you ever go out?"  
  
"No. I see that you just so happen to always be around too."  
  
"No shit, I'll burn to a crisp if I do dumb-ass."  
  
Lance sighed, resisting the urge to break his guitar in half and just start swinging wildly at the demon.  
  
"Besides, I can't stand your sorry face, always moping after a little, oh say-."  
  
"Don't start with me!"  
  
"Meow," Neona said, running her tongue across her teeth afterwards for a certain affect.  
  
Lance stood up, not thinking rationally. In one swift movement, he had yanked her off the couch where she had been sitting and threw her into the chair where he had previously sat.  
  
Neona, for one, was not complaining one bit. "I've always liked guys who weren't afraid of being dominant, you sadist."  
  
His eye twitched, his grip tightening on her wrists.  
  
In her mind, she was laughing uncontrollably. She was wearing the shortest, breeziest skirt she had, with a brand new pair of fishnets. She looked at him poutily, running a foot--also with new shoes that had a 3- inch spike for heels--along his leg.  
  
"So hurt me." she whispered, puckering her lips Marilyn Monroe-esque.  
  
For a moment, he didn't even breathe, while she looked at him with growing worry. She had, after all, only been joking.  
  
He was leaning in slowly, that amber in his eyes that was there the first day she met him now blazing with pure fury. She swallowed, the grin slowly dispersing.  
  
So close, she breathed in his scent.  
  
And she liked it.  
  
***  
  
Out of the depressing area were Tabitha and Denise, once again hooking arms and singing loudly to whatever obnoxious music they opted to. This time, they had chosen the park to terrorize, in hopes that a certain blue-eared lovely would be there.  
  
Right now, as they collapsed in a fit of giggles on a bench as some of the elders there threw their heads back and huffed disapprovingly, they saw a beautiful day.  
  
"Okay, Scott?" Tabitha grinned.  
  
Denise pulled her nose into a snout with her thumb, stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes. "Arrgh!"  
  
"A pirate?" Tabby exclaimed, falling into another fit.  
  
"Oh shut up. What about, um, Neona?"  
  
Tabby took a moment, and then imitated Jamie Lee Curtis in "Freaky Friday". "Fun-sucker!"  
  
Denise grinned. "Me?"  
  
"God, the things I could *list*! Don't even get me started!" Tabitha exclaimed, standing up, pretending to be superior, before Denise yanked her back down on the bench.  
  
"You're so mean."  
  
"Oh I know, darling, I know!" Tabby said, putting a pathetic British accent atop her normal voice.  
  
"Oh my god, it's him!"  
  
"With Amanda, keep dreaming."  
  
"I wish they were fighting." Denise sighed.  
  
"And you think I'm the mean one."  
  
"You *are* the mean one," Denise stated simply, grinning to show all her teeth at a Tabby who was now rolling her eyes and shaking her head.  
  
Suddenly, though, she stopped, grinning at the brunette. "I've got an idea."  
  
***  
  
"Damn!" Dainton cried, throwing his head back, falling against the mattress, and pounding his fist upon the sheets.  
  
"I'm good, aren't I?" Ryan grinned.  
  
"Too good!"  
  
"C'mon, it was your first time, you did pretty good."  
  
Dainton sighed, sitting back up, resting his head on his hands. "You probably play this every day anyway. There's no way I'll catch up to your standards." He fiddled with the Play Station controller, looking at it disgustedly.  
  
"You'll just have to practice. Up for round two?"  
  
Gabe looked at him blankly, "Sure, why no-."  
  
Scott burst in, and Gabe tried his damnedest not to look guilty.  
  
"Hey, suit up, both of you. Brotherhood's making trouble!"  
  
"Who?" Ryan asked Dainton, as they ran after their leader.  
  
"Apparently mutant 'enemies'."  
  
"Great, not only humans but other mutants!" Ryan growled, his green cat eyes glittering ferociously.  
  
***  
  
Cackling.  
  
Well, more laughter, but when one hears it down from the other end of a hallway, could they really be so sure?  
  
Abigail was always rather good at cheering people up, but the vast majority of the newest recruits were talented at upping people's moods.  
  
Jean sighed; she was always put in charge, along with Scott.  
  
Why?  
  
"Because you two are the oldest, the strongest, and the ones I trust the most," Xavier's voice rang in her head from the past.  
  
Figures, she thought.  
  
The young ones, these days...  
  
She stopped her train of thought there, wondering where precisely that had come from.  
  
"Girls?" She asked, peeking into the room.  
  
Keely was reading a magazine, as Abigail did up her hair. It was an endearing sight.  
  
"Duty calls," she grinned. "The Brotherhood are up to no good again."  
  
"Finally! Some action!" Keely giggled, running with Abby to go get ready.  
  
Jean rolled her eyes mentally, before calling the rest of the team.  
  
Mainly, the new recruits.  
  
***  
  
Pietro always knew how to make an entrance, albeit rather rushed, but an entrance nonetheless.  
  
"Trouble-at-the-park-hurry-guys-we-gotta-go-help-the-girls!"  
  
"Why?" Neona called back, thrusting a wing out to block his exit seeing as he was already dressed for battle.  
  
"Tabby and Denise were attacked by Fuzz-ball." Quicksilver said impatiently, ducking underneath and running out anyway.  
  
Mike and Toad came stumbling out, finally beginning to wake up.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Kurt," Lance growled, pushing his way past Neona and out the door, never-minding his fruit bowl helmet.  
  
"I'll get Wanda," Neona said, beginning her way up the stairs, before Fred came bowling down.  
  
"Ack!"  
  
Fortunately, Neona was able to fly out of the way; otherwise she'd just be another flattened mutant to be lain out at the garbage.  
  
"Forget it, Neona, I got it covered!" Toad said, hopping up with much excitement.  
  
Neona landed next to Mike and looked at him blandly.  
  
"Fifteen seconds, tops."  
  
"Nah, I'll give him at least a minute." Ghost said.  
  
"Ten bucks?"  
  
"You're on. Dude, Lance, wait up!" Mike called, as Lance was revving up the jeep, thanking a thousand deities the Duo hadn't stolen his ride today.  
  
They flew out of the driveway, as Neona threw on her trench and walked slowly out.  
  
"Finally," she muttered, "some real bloodshed."  
  
*****  
  
Lucca and Bobby are going to appear again next chapter with a bigger part, I promise sycommansonboy! *cheesy grin*  
  
Okay, it's a bit cut up and abrupt, but I just really wanted to get a chapter out all-fucking-ready. You know? Yeah...  
  
AND! Next Chapter: You find out their Mutation/Power-type-things. YAY! *bites lip* I can't believe no one yelled at me about that. Hell, I can't believe I let that slip for ten effing chapters. Daaamn.  
  
Love you all  
  
-Holly  
  
REVIEW REPLIES  
  
Dee Saylors: Hullo! Thanks for your review, I've noticed that... there's NO chapter eight?! *cries*  
  
Cheeky-bear07: You already know how I feel about you and your reviews, don't you? BTW, thankies for the New Years Card! *glomp* Aww, that wasn't my first slash. Just the first I've written that much detail about it. ^-^ I'm growing fond of it, in fact.  
  
Sycommansonboy: ROFL. You're a popcorn, you know that? I saw you put me on your MSN list. Can't wait to chat! (I find it strange people want to talk to me... .)  
  
TigerStorm: Okay, let's make an agreement. How about, if I have ch12 up before Feb, you got to get the first chapter of the OC story during Feb? Is that cool? Hope so. *shifty eyes*  
  
Emerald Knight1: Not much competition. Just kidding. May I huggle you for your reviews?  
  
DCJ: Psh. I love you infinity times infinity. So there! o.O 


	11. Chapter Eleven: Playground Twist

Surgery  
  
By: Holly Rose E.  
  
A/N: I hate this chapter. Truly.  
  
*****  
  
Chapter Eleven: Playground Twist  
  
Someone to blame  
  
Someone to shame  
  
Someone who you can claim  
  
Go back the to pass the parcel  
  
And follow the leader  
  
~Siouxsie and the Banshees  
  
*****  
  
The park had always been a place for fights - child's play mostly, but all the same, quite a few teeth had been lost and blood shed onto shimmering grass. It was the day where nothing was happening that the first real skirmish took place.  
  
It was in this confrontation that humanity's feelings on mutants would have spiralled down even further.  
  
True, no one was killed, maimed, decapitated or injured in any way because Kurt (along with Denise who remained unaccredited due to the majority of the X-Men's outcries) had taken care to make sure that all unable to defend him or herself immediately departed.  
  
Neither side asked questions--just stared defiantly at the opposing team--and as per usual, they waited until all who were coming were accounted for before blow was launched.  
  
Jean, Scott and Kurt were the only X-Men to actually be there, so it was basically up to the new recruits to take care of this.  
  
Tabby, irate and seething at an equally upset Kurt, attacked with her golden glowing bombs, glittering with power.  
  
Ghost reacted next, gathering his wits and charging up, disappearing from sight. The only way to know he was still there was by the slight rustle of his clothing.  
  
Lance and Scott--as was customary--quickly began their butting of heads, as Jean and Wanda battled it out (Wanda winning).  
  
Toad made out all right going up against Lynx, seeing as their mutation was really just a silly act of what animals out in the wild do for real. It was pretty much even.  
  
Neona and Dainton, friends if you'll allow for them to be called, stood on the sidelines. It wasn't until Jean broke through Wanda's attack and placed a brutal mental grip on Wanda that Neona grinned and flew off, nearly running into Mike who was repeatedly dive-bombing a delirious- looking Kurt.  
  
Heart Star and Intwine worked together as their mutations coincided as such. Intwine would focus all her energy and attention to the ground, fingers splayed and eyes closed tight in concentration, as this normally wore her down and she hadn't had much training. Every so often, an ivy branch would sprout from the ground, twirling and dancing its way to the heavens before Heart Star would jumping and take control of the plant, lassoing whoever got in her way or threatened her.  
  
Rahne, along with Ray and Jubilee, had come along hoping for just a little bit of action.  
  
The petite Scottish girl transformed into her wolf form and immediately caught a scent. It was Michael Graves, as he charged up the electricity in the air, which, unwittingly, Beserker was helpfully adding to.  
  
A sudden light bulb shower began from above, little electric particles floating down from a single source. Jean, while battling Neona, concentrated and brought Mike crashing to the ground where he became visible once he had hit.  
  
Mike groaned and sat back up, growling. "Dude, I was up against the blue guy," he muttered, "I didn't know he could do *that*."  
  
"He can't!" Lance yelled over, dodging a blast from Cyclops. "It was the red-head who did it."  
  
Michael frowned, turning to look at the red-head and tried his damnedest not to stare. Despite nearly breaking his back just now, she was very attractive.  
  
Denise held her ground, staring at a crackling Ray and did a pose in a very Lance-like way, except, instead of her eyes rolling back, they glowed a brilliant vermilion as the earth began to shake.  
  
"No way!" Ray exclaimed, "Another earth manipulator?"  
  
Denise grinned, staring straight at him. "Nope. I got something even better!"  
  
The ground broke and lava spewed out like a geyser. She quickly took control, taking a small portion and throwing it at Ray who barely jumped out of the way in time.  
  
She merely laughed and proceeded to chase him around, throwing and re- throwing lava balls.  
  
Keely was face to face with a Tabitha who was now much calmer and taking the whole thing as a joke. Tabby grinned and blew Keely a kiss, bombs blowing her way.  
  
Keely dived, pulled off the mittens that were constantly covering her freezing hands, and grabbed Tabitha's bare arm.  
  
Boom Boom about died, thinking the girl was another Rogue and almost sighed out of relief except for the immense cold that was now crackling its way throughout her body.  
  
Her eyes glowing with anger--how dare somebody attack one of her new- found friends--she turned to the Blob who, at the moment, was laughing victoriously over Scott, having knocked him down when he wasn't looking.  
  
Keely grinned, focused the freezing static forming around her in an icy blue haze before she stretched out her arms and aimed. The static flung itself from her to Blob where it hit and covered him.  
  
He fell, almost immobile, but partly shivering from the intense cold.  
  
Dainton was still watching from the sidelines, muttering commentary for those in range to be able to hear what was going on at the other side of the battlefield.  
  
Personally, he didn't even really consider himself a mutant because his mutation was so useless in battle. It was purely defense, because he could just stand there as one of Denise's loose lava-balls missed and struck him straight in the chest, where he was able to just brush it off with his hand. Mutant abilities did nothing to him.  
  
He was watching Jean, as she continuously butted in to everybody else's personal fight and helped out her team mates. While most would think that what she was doing was justified; it was unfair. Everybody-- minus Jubilee who was now helping Rahne chase around a once-more invisible Mike whose light bulbs keptcolliding with Jubilee's fireworks--was fighting one-on-one.  
  
Neona and Scott were now going at it, Wanda and Lance trying their best to corner Jean to make her immobile and no good to anybody. Wanda was sweating with the force of so much concentration, as Jean kept trying to fight her off.Lance wasn't sure who was going to be the first to pass out.  
  
Neona was kicking Scott into the ground, crushing his ego with as much brutality as she could muster without going demon, although her eyes kept flashing ruby in intervals, now almost at a staccato.  
  
Dainton casually walked through the mass of livid mutants, jumping over careening bodies, ducking attacks with ease, before he placed a hand on Neona's shoulder to stop her from kicking Scott's face in.  
  
It was a bad move, the demonic mutant whirled around her eyes glowing as she took his arm and twisted it roughly behind his back, throwing him to the ground, the murkiness seeping back into her eyes. "Clayton."  
  
He clenched his teeth, wondering precisely how one could tell if their arm was out of its socket.  
  
"Onna," he retorted.  
  
She focused on him, Scott long forgotten at her feet. "What do you want?" she asked hotly.  
  
"Peace." he stated simply.  
  
"Peace." she nodded before spotting Lance and Wanda getting beat-- once more--by Jean.  
  
"Lance, Wanda, let's go!"  
  
Startled, the brunette boy looked up and made a face; she glowered.  
  
He motioned at Wanda and began to get the rest of the Brotherhood. As they departed, Neona gave Dainton a knowing look before flying off without a word.  
  
Kurt came over, rubbing his sore muscles and wincing, then ported himself and Scott back to the medical ward.  
  
"Yay! We kicked ass!" Jubilee cheered with Keely, the other girl having put her gloves back on.  
  
Rahne and Ray were jumping up and down, doing a humorous dance together as they made fun of Toad and the Blob simultaneously.  
  
Ryan was helping Jean, who was holding her head, her long, gorgeous, brilliant red hair not a tangled, dirtied mess.  
  
Dainton walked home.  
  
***  
  
Over at the Brotherhood House, Todd and Fred were laughing callously at the new recruits, Denise and Tabitha doing a parody tango in celebration.  
  
Lance was sulking, whilst Neona sat beside him trying her best to keep her eyes from flitting over in his direction. Mike was upstairs in his room, now deep in thought as to what he'd heard before and experienced during the fight of the X-Men.  
  
Denise and Tabitha stopped eventually, casually walking out the door and making a quick get-away in the jeep.  
  
Todd and Fred left to go make dinner--for once with Toad helping out-- Wanda sat in her seat on the other side of Neona and read, listening to her walkman all the while.  
  
Neona meditated, Lance continued to sulk.  
  
***  
  
Lucca, without a doubt, was a person who was not to be taken lightly, whatever happened. He could go either way, a complete innocent angel or an utterly insane psychopath.  
  
Bobby, as the head-prankster, was gradually having his own devil being brought out.  
  
Now, as they walked along the length of an old, empty basketball court, they spotted a certain extremely lithe, quick-talking demon.  
  
"Yes," Bobby exclaimed silently, nudging Lucca who had been lost in his own little world. "That's Pietro, one of the Brotherhood, and a complete traitor to everybody he's ever met. Wanna have some fun?"  
  
Shatter nodded, cracking his knuckles, a slight tinkle sound emanating.  
  
Bobby iced up, and slid over to Pietro who was standing at full attention, chest puffed out and arms crossed egotistically.  
  
"Hey, 'Tro, what's up?" Bobby grinned childishly. "Have you met our newest recruits?"  
  
Pietro rolled his eyes, "Have you met ours?"  
  
Bobby was slightly put off guard, he hadn't been informed  
  
_[he'd forgotten]_  
  
that the enemy also had new mutants on their side.  
  
"This is Lucca," Bobby said, itching to have some fun. He flicked ice crystals at the ground, and they shattered and quickly became puddles in the blazing sunlight.  
  
"Lucca, Tro. Tro, Lucca."  
  
Lucca grinned, waving happily. He gave Pietro points for being a looker, very feminine around the jaw-build.  
  
Pietro zipped over, and patted Lucca on the shoulder. "So what, he'd still never be able to catch me!"  
  
Lucca frowned, a slight sparkle in his eyes all the same. "Chill out, man," he stated, giving Bobby a hidden look.  
  
Thus, it began.  
  
-End Chapter Eleven-  
  
*****  
  
*eye twitch* My apologies to sycommansboy for destroying his character. Everyone was completely out of character, and I'll get another chap out sooner.  
  
Sorry, loves.  
  
-Holly 


End file.
